


What Happens When You Want More

by spring1924



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Best Friends, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Love, Romance, best friend - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-11
Updated: 2015-08-10
Packaged: 2018-01-24 07:43:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 103,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1597034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spring1924/pseuds/spring1924
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry and I have been best friends for years; we grew up together. I know everything about him and he knows everything about me…well, except for the fact that I fell in love with him.</p><p>This is a fanfiction written by me. All characters in this story were based off of real people. This story is not true and should not be taken seriously. This is for all the Harry fans out there. No hate please and I hope you enjoy!</p><p>I’ll be posting a new chapter every Wednesday.</p><p>I might change the rating to M for later chapters. ;]</p><p>Here's my tumblr: http://spring1924.tumblr.com <br/>Come say hi and leave me an ask :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi or leave an ask on my tumblr: http://spring1924.tumblr.com :)

This was killing me.

Correction, _he_ was killing me.

\-----

He and the boys visited the United States for their exclusive all day film blog, 1D Day. I was invited to join their family members present in the audience for 1D Day because I had been a friend of the boys for a while, specifically the youngest.

Harry Styles was my best friend. 

I arrived and was greeted by Harry who had that ridiculous wrap in his hair. I often teased him about it, but I could never tell him I actually liked it on him. That would give him too much satisfaction.

“(Y/N)!” exclaimed Harry as he picked me up in bone crushing hug.

“Hello Harry!” I struggled to say as the air was being squeezed out of me. When we hug, it’s fantastic. He’ll pick me up off the ground and snuggle me into his shoulder, sometimes the side of his neck. His scent will fill my nose and make my mind fuzzy for second or two. He’ll squeeze all my troubles, worries, and sadness out of me and just fill my mind with him. Harry, my best friend.

And the boy I was hopelessly in love with.

He put me down and looked at my face, “Did you get shorter?”

“Every time,” I said sighing. He smiled and ushered me into the studio, passing cameramen, assistants, workers, even celebrities, “You’re just a giant,” I said pacing to keep up with his long strides.

He looked down, smiling still, as we walked, his dimples showing, “In all the places that count.”

My mouth dropped and I began to laugh, “Who taught you that one?”

“Louis,” he smirked, facing forward.

“I knew it,” I laughed, getting excited to see the boys again.

He reached around my shoulder and pulled me in for a squeeze, “’M glad you’re here.”

My heart skipped a beat from his touch but I bent my head down, making it look like I was looking where I was going instead of hiding my blush, “Happy to be here bud, I missed you."

“I missed you t-“ I didn’t hear the end of Harry’s sentence because a raspy yell could be heard coming towards me. I looked up and saw a blonde Irishmen running towards me, arms extended. 

“(Y/N!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)” exclaimed Niall. Bracing for impact, I opened my arms as well. Niall held me in his arms tight and secure. Niall was a little shorter than Harry so when he hugged me I fit perfectly into his form and I could peer over his shoulder. I looked at Harry and saw his adorable smile. Niall’s hugs were fantastic, but I always preferred Harry’s for obvious reasons.

“Hello Niall,” I said struggling to return his tight hug. When he let go, all three of us walked over to the rest of the group. Liam welcomed me with a nice bear hug, Zayn was always a pleasure seeing as we always greeted each other in funny accents, and then there was Louis. Louis was like a big brother to me. He was the only one in the band who knew about my feelings for Harry. When asked about our relationship, we always assured the boys that we were just friends. Louis saw through me like I was glass, instantly. He promised to keep my secret but when we’re all together I’ll catch him smirking my way, knowing I’m struggling to keep my thoughts straight while near Harry.

“Hello, love,” said Louis hugging me and swaying us back and forth.

“Hey Lou, how’ve you been?” I asked looking at him, “You’ve got more hair on your face since I last saw you.”

“Huh, I was thinking the same thing about you,” he said. I made a face at him and we both laughed.

“Oh (Y/N), I should tell you-“ started Zayn until a roaring voice came from the corner doors.

“Is she here!?”

I turned to see one of my best friends, platinum blonde hair and purple lips, standing in the doorway.

“Perrie!” I exclaimed, running toward her. She and I screamed as we hugged and bounced, excited to see each other.

“What are you doing here? I thought Little Mix was on tour!”

“We are, but we have two weeks off, so Zayn flew me out to see him!”

“Your hair’s gotten so long!”

“You look amazing!”

“You look so good!”

“I missed you!”

“I missed you too!”

When I met Perrie Edwards, we instantly became friends. We just clicked. We were so silly and were entirely ourselves with one another. It was like we knew each other our whole lives. We loved each other’s accents, hers English, mine American, and found the other just fascinating to be with. I told her about my feelings for Harry and she was ecstatic. She insisted I tell Harry how I felt. Harry and I had been good friends for so long it just seemed impossible to really convey my feelings and if he didn’t reciprocate them I would be crushed. God forbid he act awkward around me, or worse, push me away until our friendship dwindled to nothing. She decided at that moment to have Harry and I walk down the aisle together at her wedding to Zayn. If we weren’t going to get married, she said this would be the next best thing, to which I agreed.

After reuniting with everyone, we settled down on the couches, two hours before One Direction went live globally. I sat next to Harry, relaxing into the comfy couch. He rested his arm on the back of the couch behind my head. I could feel my cheeks warm a bit when I looked over at Louis, who was giving me a funny smile. My eyes widened back at him and gave him a funny look, making him laugh.

We all caught up, telling funny stories and just enjoying each other’s company. I missed spending time with Harry. It felt weird being near him again. Being a college student, I had felt this before with my family members, being away from home so much that when you returned it almost felt like you didn’t belong there anymore. With Harry I was so nervous yet relaxed at the same time. I liked Harry, but he was still my closest friend. He knew everything about me and I knew everything about him. We were the dynamic duo.

When the boys released their second album, Take Me Home, rumors of us dating surfaced and the media went wild. I had no idea the severity of what Perrie and Eleanor went through until my twitter blew up. I got some harassment because of our friendship but when people thought we were dating, everything changed. I received death threats and insults constantly. Thousands tried to friend me on Facebook and follow me on Instagram. All my private accounts were hacked. People were posting pictures of me all over the internet. At college, it was insane. People would take pictures of me when they thought I wasn’t looking. People would approach me when I went to the library, grocery shopping, while I paid for gas, and even when I ordered Jimmy Johns! I didn’t mind it when someone approached me but when they went out of their way to try to hurt or humiliate me, it was an entirely different story. Going to the bars was a battle. Men and women, for two very different reasons, would harass me when I would go out with my sorority sisters and friends. I think the only bright side of my fake relationship status was that my sorority gained popularity. At least there was that.

Being home was even worse. I went to college three hours south of my home which was located in the middle of nowhere. Going home near a major city where a lot of people knew who I was wasn’t the smartest idea on my part, but I missed my family and needed them more than ever. People stalked and crowded my house. Before I left, my dad suggested I arrive early in the morning when the crowds weren’t present. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Somehow, people found out when I was leaving because, upon arriving, I couldn’t get into my driveway. People were lined up on my street. I panicked. I took a sharp turn left and drove to the nature reserve near my house. It finally hit me. All the stress and anxiety I had from all the attention and harassment broke me and I began to cry. I just wanted to relax at home. I just wanted to see my family after three months of being at school. I wanted to go home. 

I couldn’t call my family, they would panic and probably look for me and I didn’t want to risk having people follow them or get them hurt. I needed someone I could trust. I needed someone who knew how to calm me down and talk some sense into me.

I needed Harry.

I dialed his number and while the phone rang, I cleared my throat, trying to steady my voice. After the second ring he picked up.

“(Y/N)?”

The tears then came back with a vengeance. He heard my voice hitch in my throat and I couldn’t speak.

“(Y/N)? (Y/N), are you ok?”

I tried to get it together but hearing his voice made me miss him. I needed him next to me. I needed him to hold me and tell me that everything would be ok like he would when we were together.

“(Y/N) please! Say something! Is everything alright?”

“Harry,” I shakily breathed out, unable to say anything else.

“(Y/N), where are you?”

“I-I’m at the nature reserve near my house. The one with the path you and I walk on when you come to visit,” I said catching my breath.

“Why aren’t you home? I thought your school got out today.”

“Yeah, I just got home,” I said sniffling, “Harry, I can’t get in my house.”

“What?”

“There are people lined up on my street. I can’t pull into my drive way.”] Harry was silent. I started talking then.

“That’s not all. Since that night you and I went out with everyone to celebrate Take Me Home, everything’s blown up. I’m on television and websites! People won’t stop sending me messages on every media site I’m on! I don’t know how they found my tumblr but they did! Harry they didn’t just threaten my life they threatened my family’s lives. I don’t blame you, Harry, none of this is your fault at all and I know you’ve warned me about this before but it’s never been this bad before. Harry, I don’t know what to do.”

Harry didn’t say anything. I became worried.

“Harry?”

“I’m here, (Y/N), I’m here.”

His voice was soft and gentle. It was exactly what I needed. I sighed and closed my eyes.

“I’m gonna fix this (Y/N). No one’s gonna hurt you. I won’t let them.”

I nodded my head, reassuring myself, “How?”

“It won’t happen right away but I’ll tweet about it and talk about it in interviews. I’ll do everything I can to get the attention away from you. I’ll just tell them the truth that you’re like a sister to me.” I felt a slight pull in my chest. I was flattered by how much he cared but I was sad at the same time. I knew it had to be done though. It would never work between us. 

“Ok,” I sighed, “Thank you, Harry.”

“Anytime, love,” he said and I could hear his voice become more relaxed. Harry advised me to call my family and have them call the police. He told me I needed to be safe at home and the only way that would be possible is to have an escort and crowd control. I agreed and we had a small side conversation before I realized I was calling Harry from America while he was in England.

“Oh shoot, Harry! You’re in England! I’m gonna let you go. I’m so sorry!”

“Wait, (Y/N), don’t hang up!”

My heart stopped, “Yeah?”

“Call me if anything happens, okay? I don’t care where I am or what I’m doing, if you need me you call me, okay?”

I smiled, tears rimming my eyes again, “Yeah, okay, I will.”

“You promise?”

I laughed, “Yes, yes, I promise.”

“Good. We’ll skype later, yeah?”

“Definitely…Hey Harry?”

“What’s up?”

Adrenaline pumped through my veins, “No matter what happens, even with all the threats and stupid crap, I wouldn’t give up our friendship for the world.”

“I know, (Y/N), me too,” I could hear the smile in his voice.

“Good,” I smiled, “Love ya, bud.”

“Love you too. I’ll see you tonight.”

“Mmkay, bye.”

“Bye.”

After hanging up, I called home. They had already called the police to disperse the crowd outside my home. I told them where I was and within 15 minutes a police car pulled in the parking lot and found me. He escorted me home and I was reunited with my family. Harry and I skyped later that night and he told me what was going on in his life and made me laugh all my worries away. 

That night he tweeted saying I was like a sister to him and that anyone who had a problem with it was not a true fan to him or the band. He reassured the world through interviews, webcams, and other media sites that he and I were not an item and had no romantic feelings towards each other whatsoever. The attention subsided and the threats decreased immensely. I even got some apologies, which surprised me, but did not excuse such behavior. School became somewhat normal again. The whole fiasco died like most popular topics of conversation until the next best thing happened.

That was a year ago. 

Now the boys had released a new album over Thanksgiving break and it was fantastic. It was new, mature, and 100% the boys. Louis and Liam were geniuses. I remember when Harry called me saying he was thinking of a new song for the album. He hummed a bit of the chorus and I fell in love immediately. I asked him what he was going to write about and he replied about being happy with someone you love. When I heard the final draft, I was surprised that Harry would sing about leaving someone for him. It wasn’t like him and yet…

It was time for 1D Day to begin. For the next 7 hours I was going to be engulfed in the world of One Direction and I couldn’t wait.

\-----

My abs had never hurt so badly. 

I probably laughed for 5 hours straight. The boys were fantastic. They were hilarious and treated everyone with respect. The girls that won contests were welcomed to 1D Day and were so excited to meet the boys. They were also able to listen to the album before its release. 

Harry was a natural in front of the camera, but you could tell he would get nervous when there were complications. I couldn’t contain my laughter when he stomped his foot and yelled, “Something's gone _wrong!_ ” He was so adorable.

At one point he said, “play the highlights!” and when the cameras were off him, he came over to me and sighed, resting his head on my shoulder saying, “This is a lot of work.”

Their musical performances were over the top. When they sang Little Things, I was so happy. It was one of my favorite songs that they sang. At Harry’s part I noticed he was staring at me while singing after Niall. I stared back and when they were finished, he continued on as if nothing happened. I probably just imagined it, but sometimes I feel like he stares right into me, like he could see everything I was thinking. I was probably imagining it but, hey, one could dream.

That was when Perrie and I decided to get something to eat. We went into a separate room where they were preparing food for a foreign food segment game the boys were going to play later. Fortunately for us, they also had a buffet. Perrie and I got plates full of our favorite food and sat down. We talked about what happened since we last saw each other. We talked about the engagement and how excited we both were. When Perrie called me with the news I was so happy for her that I screamed in my apartment, much to the chagrin of my neighbors. She told me how he proposed in front of her family and how it was the most amazing night of her life. I asked about the date of the wedding and her face dropped a bit.

“We haven’t exactly picked a date yet. We’re both so busy and we’re both really successful at the moment so it’s a bit hard to find the right time, especially now, you know?”

I quickly changed the topic by asking about Little Mix and what their plans were for the future. She lit up like the Fourth of July and became cheery again. I listened, but soon got lost in my own thoughts. I wondered if Harry noticed I was gone. I wondered if Harry ever missed me when we weren’t together. Suddenly, I heard Perrie call my name and I was shaken from my thoughts.

“Oh jeez, Perrie, I’m so sorry I’m just a little tired. I swear I was listening,” I said quickly, hoping I didn’t offend her.

“Oh (Y/N), it’s fine I understand. It happens to everyone. But, love, I feel like I should talk to you about something. It’s about Harry.”

That certainly caught my attention, “What’s up with Harry?”

“Well lately he’s been talking to Samantha Klem,” she said putting down her fork. 

“Who?” I asked. Perrie laughed, having forgotten I don't really follow celebrity life well, “She’s a new model in British fashion. She's becoming quite popular in America too.” 

“Show me a picture,” I said still confused as to who this person was. Perrie pulled out her phone and clicked on her picture. She was gorgeous. Her hair was long and golden, almost platinum. Plump dark pink lips, long eyelashes, tall, and looked absolutely flawless. 

“Harry's been hanging out with this goddess?” I asked. Perrie snorted then composed herself, “Well they’ve been out a couple of times, girl. I wouldn’t call them dates, more like hang outs, but from what Zayn’s told me he seems a bit interested.” 

My stomach felt uneasy, “He hasn’t said anything about it to me. He usually tells me everything, especially when it comes to girls.” 

“It’s probably nothing but maybe you should ask him about it?”

Yeah, I definitely would.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi or leave an ask on my tumblr: http://spring1924.tumblr.com :)

Finally, the day was over and it was time to rest at the hotel. Harry had rented a car and ushered me into the passenger seat. He was exhausted.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to drive?” I asked.

“No it’s fine, I know where we’re going, it’s easier this way,” he said taking a sip of water while he drove.

“Mmkay,” I said reclining the seat back. 

“Thanks, though.”

“Mmhm,” I hummed, closing my eyes. The city lights of Los Angeles flickered by as we drove through the streets. I could see the lamps dance through my eyelids while we drove in silence. Before I could fall asleep, Harry stirred me from my daze.

“Hey, hey,” he said nudging my chin, “Don’t fall asleep on me. I’m more tired than you are.”

I huffed and turned my head out of his fingers, continuing my dreamy expedition. Focusing on the road, he kept hitting me, trying to wake me up. My eyes shot open. What Harry couldn’t see was that he was patting my boobs. Realizing the softness he felt, he turned, saw where he was touching, and drew his hand away like he had touched an open flame.

“Whoa, (Y/N), sorry I-WHOA!” Harry almost swerved off the road, “Aha, um sorry, (Y/N), my bad.”

I smirked giving him a seductive stare, “Take me to dinner first, sir,” finishing off with a wink.

We both began to laugh hysterically. When Harry laughs it’s the best sound in the world. When he laughs, he sounds so different from when he talks. It’s refreshing and contagious. That high pitch cackling could lift my spirits better than any news, dessert, or alcohol ever could. 

“You little-,” Harry began chuckling, “Look, we’ve got 30 minutes ‘till we get to the hotel. Can you stay with me until then?”

“Yeah, yeah,” I grogged. It was quiet then. My mind kept going back to what Perrie told me about the model. It didn’t seem likely because I had never heard anything about it. Harry told me everything and would ask my advice on stuff like this. Now that we were alone, I decided now would be a good time to ask about it.

Before I could say anything, Harry turned on the radio to break the silence. I mentally kicked myself for waiting too long. After Ryan Seacrest transitioned to the commercial free hour, Pitbull’s new song featuring Ke$ha came on. I loved the catchiness of the song and immediately gained energy. Harry did too because we both began dancing like we were at a hoe down, well the best we could considering he was driving and we were confined in a car. For the next thirty minutes it was just the two of us, jamming like we were kids again. We belt out the lyrics to our favorite new hits and even harmonized on some parts, Harry commending me on my musical abilities. They were pretty good when compared to the British pop star.

We finally arrived at the hotel and parked the car in the 3 story parking garage next door, “You ready?” he asked.

I slipped on Harry’s shades, “I was born ready.”

We chuckled and got our stuff out of the car. Flashes of lights came out of nowhere when we left the garage to get into the hotel. Zayn and Perrie had beaten us there. Louis, Liam, and Niall were still on their way. I wasn’t used to the camera lights so Harry would give me his spare pair of sunglasses to make it easier on my eyes. 

We got our keys from the front desk and moved into the elevator. We reached the seventh floor of the hotel where our rooms were in the suite section. It was amazing. It looked like a fancy apartment. There was even a mini kitchen. I had never stayed in hotels like this so I was acting all giddy like a child while the rest put their stuff in their respective rooms. Before Perrie and I went into the room, she stopped us.

“Hey guys, before we go in, Zayn and I were wondering if we could switch rooms?”

“Switch rooms?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she said nonchalantly, “I’d room with Zayn and Harry would stay with you.”

“I don’t see why not,” said Harry picking up his things and moving them into our assigned room.

I turned and gave Perrie a look, “Zayn and I haven’t had any time to ourselves since we’ve last seen each other,” she said taking Zayn’s arm, “and you guys are best friends so it works out.”

Knowing I wasn’t going to win, I sighed picking up my stuff and walking into the room, “Okay, I’ll see you guys later.”

“Behave yourself,” she said winking and I stuck my tongue out at her and smiled. I shut the door, turned toward the bed closest to the door, and plopped down face first.

“Oh no you don’t,” said Harry, “That’s my bed.”

“Are we really gonna play this game, Harry Edward?” I asked, face still in the mattress. I felt his presence next to the bed.

“My stuff’s already on the bed, (Y/N). Move, I’m tired.”

“Make me,” I said, the bed muffling my voice.

Suddenly, I was flipped over onto my back, falling into Harry’s arms, and was tossed onto the other bed.

“Whee!” I exclaimed as I bounced from the impact. After steadying myself I laughed and turned to him, “You’ve been working out! That usually takes more effort.”

“Where’d you learn that from? The throw or the video of us working out from today?”

“Both, mainly the throw, but both,” I smiled causing him to smile as well.

“It’s great to have you here, (Y/N). I missed this,” he said lying back on the bed.

“Missed what?” I asked, genuinely intrigued.

“Just feeling like I used to, I guess,” he began, running his hand through his hair after taking off his bandana, “When it’s just us, I feel like I’m 16 again. Before One Direction happened, and it’s like I’m not ‘Harry Styles the celebrity.’ I’m just Harry. You know?”

“Oh yeah, I know what you mean. Being famous is such a burden,” I said sighing dramatically, draping my arm over my eyes.

I heard him shift on the bed and felt him staring daggers at me. I smirked until my arm was yanked from my face and I was staring up at Harry’s eyes, inches from mine.

“You think you’re so funny,” he said. I felt his breath on my face.

I didn’t say a word. I just stared, wide eyed, like a deer in headlights. I then felt a hand on my side. I knew what he was planning.

“Don’t you dare,” I warned.

Then he was tickling me. There’s two things I absolutely cannot stand: Harry’s farts and tickling. I screamed as I was pinned down in between his legs, unable to move, as he ran his hands up and down my torso. It was torture. When it came to tickling I had a love-hate relationship. I loved the attention I got from Harry but hated the pain brought on by the tickling. His long fingers jabbed and squeezed my sides and stomach as I gasped for breath. I spasmed and contorted, trying to escape his grasp but to no avail. I would either have to beg for mercy or wait for someone to come help me and seeing as we were in a locked hotel room, the first was my only option.

“Harry,” I gasped writhing underneath him, “Harry please!”

“Please what?” he said, demanding I give him a specific answer.

“Stop!” I yelled clawing at his hands.

He grabbed my hands and pinned them to the mattress, “Not until you tell me what I want to hear.”

While trying to steady my breathing, I looked up at him, my face was flushed and even though he was supporting himself on his knees, resting on both sides of my hips, I could still feel the weight of his body on top of mine. 

“You’re a sick bastard,” I said eyeing him up and down.

“You wish,” he said. If only he knew. Taking both my wrists in one hand and threatening to tickle with the other he threatened, “Well?”

I grimaced, “I’m sorry.”

“And?”

“And what?”

“Say you like the wrap.”

“No!”

“Say it.”

“Harry, has it ever been washed?”

“SAY IT!”

“NO!”

Before he could continue the torture, there was a knock at the door. We both turned and looked back at each other. Realizing what our current positions looked like, Harry leaped off the bed and went to answer the door. When he opened it, Niall was standing there with a bag of McDonalds.

“I bring gifts of golden fries and nectar of the gods,” he said in his thick Irish accent.

I screamed, running to the door, yanking the drink from his hands, and raising it to the heavens, singing a glorified praise.

“You just had to get her a sweet tea. Now she’s gonna be up all night,” sighed Harry welcoming Niall in and shutting the door. After taking a sip, I hugged the stuffing out of Niall, to which he gladly returned. I stuffed my face with my quarter pounder and ate a few fries, giving the rest to Niall and his huge stack of golden delights. I sipped my sweet tea as the boys finished eating. 

“I heard yelling before you opened the door,” said Niall wiping his mouth, “What were you guys doing?”

Harry smirked and I groaned, “Harry thought it would be fun to tickle me ‘cause I was making fun of him.”

“Really?” said Niall.

“Yup, God, I hate it when he does it ‘cause it hurts and-“ I noticed it was quiet. Too quiet. When I looked up, both boys were staring at me with a mischievous look in their eyes.

Crap.

I moved toward the door and managed to yank it open, but not before falling to the ground thanks to Niall grabbing my ankle and yanking me down from where he reached in his seat.

'How strong are these guys?' I thought as I squirmed out of his grip and ran toward the door. Because the suites were so big, there were only a few on the seventh floor, enough to house the boys, Paul, and Paddy in separate rooms. Knowing this, I yelled for help because I knew I wasn’t going to disturb any strangers on vacation. I pounded on the door to Liam, Louis, and Niall’s room, hoping one would answer before Harry caught up with me.  
I felt Harry’s hands shadow my waist so I jumped out of his reach and booked it to the corner. When I turned, Niall was waiting, arms open and ready. I shrieked, sliding on my feet, almost falling, and turned the opposite way. I dodged Harry, to this day I still don’t know how, and passed Liam and Louis’ room again, this time the door was open and they were both standing in the doorway. Their faces showed shock until Louis caught on to the game and joined me in running.

“Hello, love,” he said quickly catching up with me, “having a game of tag?”

“I wish,” I breathed, quickly losing stamina, “Harry and Niall are trying to tickle me.”

“And you’re running because…?”  
“Because it hurts, Tommo,” I said turning another corner.

“Most girls would kill to be in your situation right now, you know that right?” he said running next to me. He could easily lap me if he wanted, the damn football player.

“Oh don’t I know it-AH!”

Harry suddenly jumped in front of us. Louis grabbed my hand and yanked me out of the way, just before Harry caught me. 

“Louis, you traitor!” yelled Harry as he booked it after us.

“No hard feelings, mate,” he yelled over his shoulder, laughing.

I began to laugh too. I hadn’t had this much fun in a while. We passed Zayn and Perrie who were now peeking outside their room, wondering what the commotion was about. Liam had a football in his hands and was smirking as Louis and I passed him. Harry and Niall were right behind us and just as Niall was about to grab my shirt, Liam threw the ball at him. The ball hit him square in the face causing Liam to gasp. Niall stopped and grabbed his face. We all stopped running and turned to Niall. He brought his hands out and saw an inkling of blood trickle from his nose. 

“Oh shit! Niall!” said Liam as he ran over to Niall.

Louis hurried over to Niall and gently grabbed his face, examining it. I watched as Liam became frantic. All the nonsense was quickly forgotten. Even Zayn came out of his room. 

“You’ve got a bit of a bloody nose but you should be fine,” said Louis letting Niall go. 

“Jesus, Liam,” he said pinching his nose, “you got good aim, don’t cha?”

The boys laughed and Liam hugged Niall. Zayn examined Niall, the wonderful older brother that he is, and made sure Niall was okay. I loved how much he cared for the boys, especially Niall. I smiled as I fell to the ground, exhaustion catching up with me. I threw my arm over my eyes and blocked out the fluorescent lights. Harry’s head soon blocked them out almost entirely.

“Hey Harry,” said Liam, “If you don’t mind sharing a bed with Niall, you can come sleep in our room if you want.”

“Uh, no, he can’t,” interrupted Louis, “You’re sharing with Niall ‘cause I’m getting my own bed. He can share with (Y/N), they’re perfectly fine having their own beds.”

“Yeah, actually I do like the sound of my own bed, thanks Liam,” said Harry. I mentally noted to thank Louis later, even though I know half of it was for his own comfort.

“Alright, I’m beat,” said Niall nasally, “After all that runnin’ I’m ready for bed.”

“I’ll get you an ice pack,” said Liam walking back towards their room.

“Come on, (Y/N),” said Harry.

Eyes still closed, I extended my hands for him to help me up, “I’m too tired. Carry me.”

Harry yanked me up, the force making my feet leave the floor. Once I was up, he crouched down and bent me over his shoulder.

“Oof, not exactly what I had in mind,” I said to him. I waved to the boys and Perrie, “Goodnight, you guys.”

“Night,” they all said returning to their rooms.

Harry set me down and opened the door to our room. I walked in and opened my suit case to grab my pajamas. Harry told me he was going to shower. While he showered, I changed and crawled into bed, scrolling through my texts, until Harry called from the bathroom.

“(Y/N)?”

“What’s up?”

“Don’t look, okay?”

“Why?”

“’Cause, I’m naked.”

“Well, wait, do you want me to get you your pajamas?”

“I don’t have any.”

Oh shit. I forgot.

Harry sleeps in the nude.

“Oh, for God’s sake, Harry!”

“Don’t blame me! I thought I was rooming with Zayn!”

“And what were you gonna do? Walk naked in front of Zayn?”

“We’re both men! Besides, he’s seen me naked plenty of times!”

“Somehow that doesn’t reassure me, Harold.”

“Just don’t look, okay?”

“Wasn’t planning on it.”

I turned away from the bathroom door and Harry’s bed. I waited to hear the door open but only heard silence.

“Harry?”

“Could you put a pillow over your face?”

“HARRY.”

“You know what, fuck it, I don’t care,” he said opening the door. I shrieked and covered my eyes before he walked out.

“Oh my God, Harry.”

“Oh come on, (Y/N), it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”

“We were four! You’re a man now!”

“In more ways than one,” he laughed, making me groan in disgust. After getting into bed he spoke, “Okay, you can look now.”

I put down my hands and opened my eyes. He was laying under the covers, tattoos covering his chest and arm, as he posed.

“Paint me like one of your French girls.”

I laughed and threw a pillow at him, quickly asking for it back because I slept with a pillow fort around me. Getting ready for bed, I brushed my teeth and washed my face. I snuggled under the covers and took off my bra while it was still under my shirt. Harry stared, amazed at what I was doing. 

“How do you do that?” he asked.

“You will never know,” I said throwing it on my bag and resting my head against the pillow.

“You women and your secrets,” he said closing his eyes.

Speaking of secrets, I remembered the Samantha Klem thing Perrie told me about and decided to ask him about it, “Hey Harry?”

“What’s up?”

Not sure if I should ask or not, I went with my gut, “Have you been seeing someone lately?”

He was quiet for a minute until he responded, “Not really, well, it’s complicated.”

There was a sharp drop in my stomach, like the feeling you get when you forget something was due the day of, “Who is it?”

“Sam Klem,” sighed Harry, “She’s an English model. We’ve been talking lately. I dunno if it’s gonna go anywhere but we’ve hung out few times.”

“Dude!” I said feigning annoyance, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“To be honest, I didn’t think it was going anywhere. I didn’t think it was important. Who told you I was seeing someone?”

“Perrie,” I said, hugging a pillow, “It shocked me. You usually tell me this kind of stuff. I didn’t know you had a thing for girls like her.”

Harry looked at the ceiling, “I don’t know if I do, really. I’ll just have to see where it goes, you know?”

“Yeah,” I said turning away from him, hugging the pillow even closer.

“I mean, she’s really fit.”

“Goodnight, Harry.”

He laughed and said goodnight, rustling the sheets. My eyebrows furrowed as I tried to fight back tears, praying this “thing” wouldn’t go any further.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi or leave an ask on my tumblr: http://spring1924.tumblr.com :)

I couldn’t sleep. Partly due to the sweet tea from earlier but mostly because of what Harry said.

He was unsure about him and Samantha. That meant he thought about her. That meant he was giving it some serious thought. He never mentioned it to me and I found out from Perrie! I would’ve been pissed if I found out through the media.

To put my mind at ease, and to distract me from the fact that a naked Harry was sleeping in the bed next to me, I took a deep breath. At least I had one up on Samantha…for now anyway.

Calming down, I began to reminisce on our friendship. I closed my eyes and began to remember my earliest memories.

Harry and I met when we were very young. My family and I were born in the U.S. When I was four, my dad was transferred from the U.S. to London for work as a trader in the stock exchange. The board of trade needed him in England. We lived near Liverpool while my dad worked mostly in the city but would occasionally go to London to trade, usually staying for the week or just the weekend at a time. My mom was a nurse and worked in a hospital near Liverpool. She worked in the same hospital that Harry’s mom worked in. Mom was assigned to shadow Anne while she got used to the hang of things. They quickly became friends, bonding over stories of their children. My mom would tell stories about her three little girls and Anne would talk about her little girl and boy. The two women had one thing in common: a child who loved to sing.

The two mothers decided to set up a play date with their children and have them meet. Mom drove us to Cheshire where we would spend the weekend while my dad was in London. It was a warm morning in May, so we were allowed to play outside. My little sister was barely two so she stayed near my mom while my older sister and Gemma got along right away, leaving me alone with Harry. He was very different from the boys I used to play with in America. Maybe it was because he was younger than me by a few months or maybe because he was English, but he was different. He was very friendly towards me, even though I could almost look down at him. We ran around his yard and I would always win, but instead of getting mad or frustrated he would giggle or scream “again!” and we would race back to our starting point.

Harry and I quickly became the best of friends. Mom enrolled us in the same school as Gemma and Harry. Because the cut off for my grade was right after my birthday, I was a year older in school than Harry, but you would never know, because outside of class we were glued to each other. We had the same lunch, recess, and Physical Education classes so we saw each other fairly often. My classmates would comment on my American accent only for Harry to come out of nowhere and say it was the coolest thing and would try to copy my way of speaking.

Our moms would make us sing together every chance they got. Every time there was an opportunity, they would insist we sing, so we did. We sang every song we could think of. Music class was our favorite because they would combine the different grades, meaning Harry and I could sing together. Christmas time was always a joy. Our favorite song, to this day, is, ‘Baby It’ Cold Outside,’ much to the amusement of our mothers. We had no idea what the words meant but by our second Christmas together, we knew both parts and would rotate every time we sang it.

Months turned to years as Harry and I grew older. I was still taller than Harry but that was slowly changing as he noticeably grew. My family would spend holidays and vacations with the Styles’, enjoying every moment together. Then, one day, when I was 11, my dad came home with some news. He was being transferred back to America. We were going home.

I was devastated. After spending 7 years in England, I could barely remember what America was like. I knew they talked like me but the only people I could remember were my relatives. I had no friends over in America. But what made me cry, when dad told me the news, was that I knew I was leaving Harry, my best friend, behind.

The Styles’ were very upset upon hearing the news. Gemma cried but Harry was silent. He didn’t cry or yell, he was just very quiet. After dinner, while our parents talked, Harry dragged me upstairs to his room. He closed the door and before I could ask what was going on, he hugged me. I could hear my sisters in Gemma’s room until Harry started to cry. This was the first time in years I heard Harry cry. Being a boy, he only cried when he got hurt, but I could hear and feel his sobs in my shoulder.

“Harry? Are you okay?” I asked wrapping my arms around him.

“I don’t want you to go,” he sobbed, squeezing me tighter.

Then I began to cry. I hugged him back with just as much force and we cried holding each other. He was my height so we supported each other while hugging. We stayed like that for a while until we needed to wipe our itchy and puffed eyes. I got snot on his sweater and he stained my shirt with tears. After composing ourselves we sat on the floor talking about how we were going to stay in touch and making promises to each other. He pulled out a notebook and we wrote down suggestions.

1\. Write to each other every month.

2\. Always tell the truth. No secrets allowed.

3\. Keep each other’s secrets to the grave.

4\. Stay best friends no matter what.

5\. Never stop singing.

We signed our names at the bottom of our constitution. We made a copy for myself to take with me to America.

“No matter what happens, (Y/N), you’ll always be my best friend,” Harry said getting teary eyed.

I started to cry and he rubbed my back, “We’ll always be best friends, Harry.”

We hugged one last time before we went downstairs and I was reunited with my parents. We drove home and two days later we were on our way back to America. My mom mailed the Styles’, giving them our new address and 4 days later I got a letter from Harry. It was four pages long, front to back. I missed him so much but reading his letter brought me so much comfort. I could hear his voice while I read his words. It was then that I knew Harry and I would always be friends.

We would send pictures in our letters and one day, when I was 13, I received a letter from Harry, there was a picture of himself with Gemma. They looked so different yet the same. Harry was taller, almost towering over Gemma, and his hair was longer and curlier. His smile was the same, dimples and all but something was different. I found myself staring at the picture every chance I got. My mom noticed the picture and said, “Oh my goodness is that Harry? He’s grown into such a handsome young man!”

That was it. For the first time in my life, I noticed how good looking he was. No, not good looking, he was gorgeous. I secretly kept the picture in my music box for safe keeping, praying no one would find it.

We exchanged letters every month until the age of computers came into play. Instant messenger was a gift from God himself. Now Harry and I could talk whenever we wanted. The time zones were different, but we found the time. Our friendship only grew when Facebook became popular. We would make fake pictures and laugh as people commented on how silly we were.

When Skype was created, Harry and I could finally talk face to face. I was so nervous. I had my little sister help me with my hair to make it look nice. I was fifteen when I saw Harry again.

“Hello?”

I heard a boy’s voice. It was English and sounded very familiar. I looked at the screen and all I could see were brown curls.

“Harry?”

Suddenly, the boy lifted his face and I saw his emerald green eyes and those craters he had for dimples.

“(Y/N)!?”

“Harry!”

We both yelled out of excitement. It had been so long since I had seen him in the flesh and heard his voice. It was much deeper now but he was still the same Harry.

“Oh my gosh, (Y/N), you look amazing!”

I blushed, hoping he couldn’t see how red my face was, “You too! Oh my gosh, you look so different!”

“So do you!” he said. He pointed at the screen, “You still got those chubby cheeks though.”

I gasped, touching my face, “At least I don’t have a mop for a head!”

He laughed, making my heart leap in my chest. We talked for two hours until he had to go eat dinner because it was evening over in England. We promised to talk again tomorrow and soon we began having Skype sessions almost three times a week.

One day, during my senior year of high school, Harry called on my phone with big news. We only called each other over the phone if it was an emergency or for a very important reason. He decided to try out for the X Factor in England. I remember being so excited for him. He asked me if he should go through with it. I then threatened him saying if he didn’t I would personally fly to England, shove him in a trunk, and force him to audition myself. He laughed and said thanks for the encouragement. I told him to text me how it went as soon as he could.

Two days later I got a text from Harry saying he got through! I danced around my house and told everyone I knew. I watched him on television, unable to believe that it was really my best friend on TV. Then Harry texted me saying he didn’t make it any further. I was heartbroken. I really believed he was going to make it. I prayed so hard for him and campaigned to everyone I knew. Harry told me to watch the episode anyway because he was proud of the performance. I told him I was going to cry if I did but he begged me so I couldn’t say no.

Like Harry said, he didn’t get through but he was asked to stay behind with four other boys. My eyes widened. No way. There was no way. Simon Cowell announced to them that they would be a group and would still be in the competition.

“THAT SON OF A BITCH!” I yelled at the TV. After screaming, and getting an ear full about swearing and screaming from my mother, I texted Harry.

_YOU SON OF A BITCH!_

_Heheheheheh_

_WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO ME!? I CRIED FOR YOU!_

_I’m sorry I had to. If it helps, I did the same to Gemma. :D_

_I WANT MY TEARS BACK._

_Get ready ‘cause One Direction is gonna win this competition!_

_One Direction?_

_Yeah, that’s the name we decided on. You like it?_

_Wow, no offense, but Simon Cowell could have thought of a better name._

_(Y/N), I came up with the name._

_…It was a great try Harry but no one is going to take a band named One Direction seriously._

_You’re kidding. Are you serious?_

_Payback for the scare earlier bud. I think it’s a great name!_

_I will never trust you again._

_The same to you, good sir.  
_

_Lol I gotta go. The lads and I are staying at my house for a few days. It’s been crazy so far. I’ll text you later :) xx._

_Haha ok sounds good have fun! :)_

I smiled at my phone, giddy that Harry was still in the competition. I hoped he and the other boys would get along. I didn’t worry about Harry too much. He was a strange one at times, but he was so loveable I couldn’t see why they wouldn’t love him. Two days later, I was back in school, trying not to fall asleep in my Physics class. Suddenly, I felt my phone vibrating in my purse. I glanced and saw that Harry was calling me. I asked to be excused to the restroom and left, almost sprinting to the empty locker room while gym class was still going on. After entering the abandoned area, I called him back.

“Hello?” said a voice I didn’t recognize.

“Hello?” I reciprocated, “You’re not Harry.”

“GUYS SHE CALLED BACK!” He yelled, almost blowing out my ear. I winced and put the phone back to my ear. I heard shuffling and voices I didn’t recognize. They were all boys and had English accents, but I could have sworn I heard an Irish tone to one of their voices.

“Hello?” I repeated wondering what in the world was going on.

“Ah, yes, hello love,” said the boy from before, “Where are you calling from?”

“North America,” I stated, “Who is this? Is Harry there?”

I could hear them commenting on my accent.

“Oh, he’s here all right,” said the boy, darkening his tone, “He’s a little… _preoccupied_.”

Catching onto the joke I replied, “What have you done to him?”

I could hear the boys quietly chuckle in the background, “Let’s just say he’s a little tied up at the moment.”

Trying not to laugh, I thought of the perfect idea. My dad and I were huge fans of Liam Neeson, so luckily I had his monologue from his movie ‘Taken’ nearly perfected.

“I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. If you let Harry go now, I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will find you, and I will kill you.”

The boys were roaring in laughter by the time I finished the quote. I could then hear Harry in the background asking what they were laughing about. I heard shuffling and bickering about the phone. Harry sounded a bit annoyed.

“Hello?” I heard him say.

“Hi Harry,” I said smiling to myself.

“Oh, you did not,” said Harry away from the phone, “Guys! I told you she was in school right now!”

I laughed when Harry talked about how much he was going to be charged for the phone call.

“(Y/N), I’m sorry about this. I told the lads about you and they took my phone while I was in the bathroom.”

“She exists!” I heard a boy exclaim.

“I told you,” said Harry, “Anyway, after school, you wanna skype and meet the boys?”

“Yeah, sure, sounds fun,” I said getting excited.

“Okay, see you in a few hours,” he said.

“Ok see you then,” I said hanging up.

I stared at the clock, squinting my eyes in anticipation. I thought that maybe if I willed the clock to go faster it would. It did the opposite. It seemed like the longest day of high school in history. Finally, the end of the day came with the clanging of the final bell. I raced to my locker, gathered my belongings, and made my way to the band room to find my younger sister. She told me she had to stay to help out the freshman figure out their uniforms. Being a senior, and not in the mood to wait another hour to talk to Harry, I bribed her with McDonalds. Much to my advantage she didn’t give the new band members a second thought.

Sipping my nectar from the gods, I pulled into the garage and threw down my stuff, racing to the desk top computer. Unfortunately, when I got there, I found my mom scrolling through her daily horoscope.

“Hey mom!” I said, stepping over my massive snoring dog.

“Hey (Y/N)! How was your day?”

“Fantastic. So, um, Harry and I wanna Skype. Can I use the computer?”

“Is that why you’re home early?”

“Yeah, so can I?” I asked getting anxious. It was probably getting late in England and I was losing precious time.

“Sure, as soon as I’m done reading this.”

“Okay, awesome, thanks mom!”

I stood there, lightly nudging my dog’s fat body, waiting for my mom to finish. After 5 minutes I couldn’t contain myself.

“So…almost done?”

My mom turned to me and gave the look that silenced me as a child, “(Y/N), I’d like to relax.”

“To be fair, mom, you don’t even believe in that stuff, so why read it?” I quickly retorted.

She sighed, knowing I wasn’t going to let up, “Fine, go ahead. Tell Harry I said hi.”

“Will do,” I said, replacing her in the seat. I opened up the Skype application and signed in. My older sister’s name popped up because she was away at school and I saw that Harry was online as well. I double clicked and waited for Harry to pick up. While it rang, I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to get the knots out, when a blonde boy appeared on the screen.

“Hello?” I asked, unsure what to do.

He smiled, “Hey, are you (Y/N)?” he said in a thick Irish accent. I knew I heard it earlier.

“Uh yeah,” I said, fiddling with the mouse, “Is Harry there?”

“I’ll call for him,” he said as another boy walked into the room. This one had very dark hair and was tan when compared to the pale blonde.

“Is that her?” he asked the blonde pointing to the screen.

“Yeah, that’s (Y/N)! HAROLD!” called the blonde boy. Then another boy peered from the side of the screen, opposite the blonde. He had light brown hair and had the whole skater boy swoosh hair.

“Hello!” he said waving at me. I smiled saying hi.

“HARRY! YOUR FRIEND’S ONLINE!” called the blonde again when another boy came onto the screen. He had chocolate brown hair and I thought I could see blue in his eyes.

“Is this her then?” he asked the lighter brunette to which he responded a yes.

“How many of you are there?” I asked slightly embarrassed. They were all very good looking.

They laughed and the brunette mentioned they were missing Harry to which the blonde responded by opening the door and shouting his name again. Suddenly, the door on the opposite side of the blonde opened and a very sleepy looking Harry stepped through.

“There he is,” said the brunette pointing to him and began clapping, causing the other boys to clap upon his arrival. Harry smiled, eyes still closed, and stepped toward the computer.

“Hey sleeping beauty,” I said taking a sip of my sweet tea.

“Hey (Y/N),” said Harry sitting with the boys, “I see you’ve met the band.”

“Not really,” I said laughing, “But apparently, they know me.”

“We’ve heard loads of stories,” said the light brunette.

“Sometimes he calls out to you in his sleep,” said blonde.

“No I don’t,” said Harry nonchalantly.

“You dirty liar,” said the brunette sarcastically.

“Okay, Harry do a roll call I need to know names here,” I said in a fit of giggles.

“Hi I’m Jennifer,” said the brunette, making the blonde laugh hysterically.

“Alright, let’s start with you, Zayn,” said Harry pointing to the one with the darkest hair.

“Hi, I’m Zayn, nice to meet you,” holding up his hand.

“Hi Zayn,” I said looking into the camera.

Harry then pointed to the blonde, “Hullo! I’m Niall!”

I laughed, “Hi Niall.” Harry pointed to the light brunette, “Hi, I’m Liam.”

“Hi Liam.”

Harry pointed to “Jennifer,” “Hi there, I’m Louis.”

“I preferred Jennifer.”

They boys laughed and I could her Louis say, “I like her.”

“So, are you all 16 like Harry?” I asked.

“No, me, Liam, and Niall are 17,” said Zayn.

“I’m 18,” said Louis.

“How old are you?” asked Niall.

“Niall! There are two things you never ask a lady!” exclaimed Louis, “Their age, and their weight!”

I laughed out loud, “It’s fine! It’s fine! I’m 17.”

Niall looked at Zayn and Liam and held out his hands and the two high fived him. Harry turned towards them, giving them a wide eyed look.

“Absolutely not,” I barely heard him say, away from the camera, making Niall laugh.

“So who kidnapped Harry earlier?” I asked.

“That would be me,” said Louis raising his hand, “That thing you said earlier from Taken was priceless.”

I laughed, then took a very serious tone and said, “I meant every word.”

After meeting the boys through Skype, it was weird to see them with Harry on TV. Every week, they would make video diaries and they were hilarious. Louis was definitely the most rambunctious and Niall was just adorable every time he laughed. They fed off each other and worked very well together. They got along great.

In one video diary, the boys commented on their roles in the band. When Harry was said to be the flirt I furrowed my eye brows. Harry? A flirt? Good one. He could barely talk about a girl when it came to romance.

On another video diary, they were talking about women they would choose to date among the X Factor contestants. It was Liam’s turn to choose.

“I’d pick…”

I took a bite of my grilled chicken sandwich.

“(Y/N).”

I almost choked on my grilled chicken sandwich.

“Good choice,” said Niall.

Harry’s eyes widened. He turned around and pointed at Liam, “No.”

“What’s that?” asked Liam acting innocent.

“Absolutely not. Besides, she’s not even on the show,” said Harry turning back toward the camera.

“She doesn’t even go here,” said Zayn making the group laugh.

I smiled so wide that I couldn’t contain my giggles. If Liam mentioned me, then they must be talking about me, and if they talk about me that must mean I’m on Harry’s mind, at least once in a while.

Finally, week 10 came and went. The boys came in third but, like Zayn said, it wasn’t the end of One Direction. Signing under Simon Cowell, the boys toured with the X Factor. Their fan base grew and grew, especially when they released their first single, ‘What Makes You Beautiful.’ I played that song on repeat so many times, it’s still the most played song on my iTunes. They soon came out with their first album, Up All Night, and Harry called me saying they were coming to America. He said he had permission to fly me out to their first gig in the United States. I couldn’t contain myself. I screamed into the phone, much to Harry’s dismay. Two months later, I was on a plane to meet up with Harry.

It was on the plane when it hit me. I was going to see Harry again. I was going to see Harry, in the flesh, after 6 years of being apart. I felt like I was going to throw up. I ran to the bathroom to try and compose myself. My nerves were getting to me. After calming down a bit, I returned to my seat and sighed. My phone buzzed and I looked to see a text from the boy who almost cost me my lunch.

_Hey! We’re here! Can’t wait to see you! It’ll be great to actually catch up face to face :)_

I grabbed the bag in front of me and barfed.

After the plane landed, I bought a water to get somewhat hydrated after my situation earlier. I threw my carry on over my shoulder and walked towards the exit. Harry told me there would be a security guard named Paddy who would be holding a sign with my name on it. I skimmed the crowd and saw my name. I approached the man, who was much bigger and very much fit the whole security guard image, and he spoke.

“(Y/N)?”

I nodded and he offered to take my bag. He was very nice and escorted me to the car. I felt like I was in The Princess Diaries. After conversing with Paddy for 45 minutes, we arrived at the theater the boys were playing at. Back then, the gigs were so small compared to where they played now, but back then it was huge. My hands started shaking as I realized Harry was in this building.

Paddy led me inside and walked me toward the back rooms where the performers waited and lounged. Paddy told me to wait as he disappeared behind the corner. My palms began to sweat, my hands shook and my knees grew weak. I breathed, trying to calm myself down. Then I saw him.

Down the hallway, a head full of curly brown hair bobbed around the corner. He was tall, much taller than I remembered. He turned and saw me. His green eyes that shamed summer leaves widened and those familiar dimples caved into his cheeks, right on cue.

“(Y/N)!?”

My face beamed. It was Harry. My best friend, _Harry!_

“Harry!”

“(Y/N!)” exclaimed Harry as he raced towards me, arms extended. I ran toward him, all my nerves and fears forgotten, because it was Harry.

We collided and held each other in a bone crushing hug. He lifted me off the floor and spun me around. He couldn’t do that the last time I saw him.

He set me down and took my face in his large hands, “Oh my gosh, (Y/N), look at you!”

“Look at me? Look at you! You’re so tall!” I said looking up at him, “And your hair! It’s gotten even curlier!”

We laughed and hugged each other again, “It’s so good to see you!” he said rubbing his cheek against my head.

“You too!” I said closing my eyes and enjoying the hug.

From that moment, Harry and I saw each other more than ever. Because One Direction was so successful, Harry could easily afford to fly me out and he even came to stay with me a few times when they had breaks in America. Fortunately, nobody would think that Harry Styles would be residing in a suburb just outside of a major city.

Soon the boys came out with Take Me Home, another album played endlessly, and the concerts got bigger. Soon, they were being begged to go on every television talk show and asked to go to special events. They funded charities, made music videos, won awards, even made a perfume, and they got bigger and bigger. But even with all their fame and glory, Harry made sure to set aside some time for visits and fun with me. The boys were always so nice. Louis and I grew very close over time. I could go to him for anything, especially when it was about Harry. The whole Taylor Swift fiasco was such a joke. Louis and I would laugh hysterically while Harry told us about some of the most ridiculous things she said. Harry spent New Years with her at some ski lodge. He texted me the whole time, begging me to give him an excuse to leave.

_Don’t leave now Harry! You haven’t gotten a song written about you yet!_

That came much later after Harry ended the short lived relationship with the tall blonde singer. I was relentless. Every time it came on the radio I would tease Harry but at the same time it infuriated me. This bitch thought she could make Harry look like some two-timing whore when he wasn’t even interested in the first place.

Somewhere along the line, Harry had a sudden urge to get tattoos. When I say urge, I mean Harry got a tattoo every chance he could. He would send me pictures of himself getting these tattoos. At first, I was a bit bothered seeing as they were permanent but soon realized they were random but had a good meaning behind them, very much like Harry. One day, he sent me a picture of his abs with a huge butterfly draped over the top. I immediately replied.

_You didn’t._

He responded.

_I did :)_

I called him right then and there. He picked up and I chewed him out for it. I have no idea why I got so angry. I think it was because I liked his abs a lot at the time and seeing this ugly ass butterfly over them upset me. Calming down, I apologized and asked him why he got the tattoo.

“I dunno, I just sort of felt like getting it.”

Harry felt my wrath that day.

The Take Me Home Tour ended, with the release of Best Song Ever. I remember when Harry texted me, asking me to give him a random name, one you wouldn’t normally hear. I looked at the map of the U.S. on my basement wall and saw the state of Georgia so I typed it and sent it. He replied asking for another, so I looked and saw my sorority symbol in a frame on my wall. It was a rose. I texted him back suggesting Rose. He thanked me and I went on with my day.

When I heard Best Song Ever my mouth dropped when I heard Liam say Georgia Rose. I texted Harry.

_You could’ve told me the name was for your song, you dork!_

He replied: _It fit perfectly! And it was so ridiculous we had to use it!_

I groaned, embarrassed because now the whole world would sing this stupid name I pulled from my ass.

Now, One Direction released their third and most amazing album yet, Midnight Memories. It was out of this world. It was mature, with so much more guitar, and Louis and Niall actually got a chance to sing! The boys, especially Louis and Liam, put their hearts and souls into this album. They performed on Good Morning America and announced their dates for North America on the Where We Are Tour. It was all so exciting.

Thinking about all this seemed to happen so fast. Sometimes I still find it hard to believe, so does Harry and he lives it every day.

I opened my eyes and looked at him, now fully asleep, and admired his features. His long eyelashes graced his cheeks while his mouth opened ever so slightly.

I wondered if they parted like that when he kisses.

I shook my head. No, none of that, I needed sleep. I looked one last time. He was still the same Harry I knew back then, tattoos, career, and all.

“I love ya, bud,” I said as I closed my eyes and welcomed sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi or leave an ask on my tumblr: http://spring1924.tumblr.com :)

I was stirred from my sleep when I heard the shower running. I sighed, warm and comfortable, in my bed. I opened my eyes and looked at the unfamiliar wall I was facing.

 _‘Oh, yeah. I’m staying in a hotel,’_ I thought, snuggling back into my pillow.

I assumed about fifteen minutes passed when Harry woke me up.

“(Y/N),” said Harry quietly, trying not to startle me. To mess with him, I acted like I was still asleep. He called my name a little louder and I felt his hand on my shoulder. It was huge, my entire shoulder fitting snug into his palm. I sighed, rolling over, away from him. Suddenly, I felt multiple drops of water hit my face, surprising me. Harry was shaking his wet hair in my face. I made a noise from my throat, brought my hand up to block the surprise rain shower, and smacked Harry right in the face. Harry, taken by surprise, moved away and sat on his bed, holding his nose.

“Oh!” I said, waking up, “Oh my gosh, Harry.” I laughed, removing the warm covers and moved to stand in front of him, “I’m so sorry.”

“Ow, (Y/N),” he said, his hands muffling his speech, while he cushioned his nose.

“Lemme see,” I said, gently removing his hands from his face. The light stubble around his jawline tickled my palms as I lifted his face in my direction. I smoothed my thumbs over his cheeks, near his nose. His mouth was red and plump, frowning a bit. His eyes were closed and I noticed the length of his eyelashes, resting against the top of his sharp cheekbones. I was so jealous of his eyelashes. The only way I could get mine that long was with a good amount of mascara.

I examined his nose, a bit red from the contact of my hand earlier, but I saw no permanent damage.

“I clocked you good, didn’t I?”

“Unnecessary,” he replied. His hair was still damp from the shower.

“That’s what you get for shaking that wet mop in my face while I was sleeping,” I retorted.

“My hair is not that bad,” he said opening his eyes. They were so beautiful; a soft green, like the rolling hills we would play on in England. His eyes met mine and we just stared at each other. I prayed he didn’t see the red slowly creeping into my cheeks. Without breaking eye contact, he surprised me by slapping his hands against mine, pressing my hands into his face. I jumped from his touch.

“You’re hands are so tiny,” he said, cheeks squished together.

I chuckled. He was right. His hands encased mine completely. Returning his face to normal, he looked back into my eyes, smiling.

“You done making fun of my hands?” I asked.

“I’m not making fun, I’m just saying they’re petite,” he stated dancing his fingers over mine.

“Mhmm,” I said with a smug look, “You’re gonna be fine.”

I bopped him lightly on the nose, causing him to rub his nose and groan. I grabbed my bag and took out some clean clothes to change into.

“You wanna grab some breakfast?” asked Harry drying his hair with his towel, “Niall texted me asking if we wanted to go for a McDonalds run.”

“What time is it?” I asked.

“9:45,” he responded while I undressed in the bathroom.

“Ugh, it’s so early,” I said, grabbing my white shirt, “I was planning on showering. I could wait ‘till we get back though.”

“Ew, you’re gross,” chimed Harry. I stuck my head out the door.

“If me stinking for another hour means we’ll be getting McDonalds hash browns and sweet tea then you can survive. I’ll shower when we get back.”

I threw on my loose white v-neck shirt and skinny jeans, opening the door so Harry could brush his teeth. I went near the mirror to fix my hair, but Harry bumped me out of the way with his hips. I tried to get around him but he cut me off at every attempt.

“Harry,” I huffed, trying to push him out of the way, but he was solid as a wall, “I need to do my hair.”

“And I need to brush my teeth,” he stated, mouth full of toothpaste.

I pushed the back of his knees, causing him to buckle, giving me an opportunity to get some mirror room. My hair was a little greasy and I tried shoving it in a messy bun but it just would not look presentable. I sighed as Harry spit in the sink. He left the bathroom as I fixed my makeup and sprayed on some perfume. He came back in and fit something soft over my head, covering my eyes. I lifted it, staring at myself with his beanie on my head.

“You can wear my beanie while we’re out,” he said, spraying himself with some cologne.

“Thanks,” I said. After he walked out, I fixed his hat on my head and smiled to myself. I brushed my teeth and walked out of the bathroom. Harry handed me my light jacket and I thanked him but stopped when I saw his dark green wrap on his head. Before I could say anything, he stopped me.

“Don’t say a word about the wrap or the beanie’s comin’ off.”

I shut my mouth and zipped up.

We walked to Niall’s room and knocked on the door. Niall answered, behind him was Liam, getting ready for a work out, and Louis, still sleeping in bed. I walked past Niall and Liam and went towards the lazy boy. I bent down near his face.

“Good morning,” I whispered. Louis’ eyes opened into slits and closed again, “Let me sleep.”

“Do you want us to get you anything from McDonalds?” I asked quietly.

“An egg McDouble and a hash,” he grogged.

“Do you want me to order you some tea from downstairs?”

“I could kiss you.”

“Alright,” I said, petting his hair, “Goodnight, sweet prince.”

He smiled and snuggled back into his pillow. I walked back to Niall and Harry and we walked to the elevator.

“We takin’ your car?” asked Niall.

“Yeah, I’m parked close to the exit,” said Harry, resting his head against the wall.

We reached the lobby and I ordered Louis’ tea at the front desk. After giving the room number, we all walked toward the exit. Before we reached the doors, Harry moved so I was in between both him and Niall. When we were outside of the hotel, a few paparazzi’s were waiting, snapping pictures and calling out Harry and Niall’s name. Some even yelled my name, which caught my attention. When I turned my head, Harry grabbed my hand and bent his head toward my ear.

“Don’t mind them,” he whispered, “Don’t give them any attention. They’ll expect more then.”

I nodded and faced forward, Harry’s hand still clutching mine. It was weird. Moments like these made me feel so much younger than him, when in reality I was the older one. I was much closer to Niall’s age, being born in the same month as him. When Harry showed his protective side, it always made my heart flutter.

We reached the car and Harry gave me to Niall. Niall put his arm around me and led me to the other side of the car, while Harry got in the driver’s seat. Niall opened the back door and ushered me in. We both sat in the back, making it easier to get in with all the paps drawing closer to the car. Harry backed out and slowly pulled out of the garage, hoping he wouldn’t hit anyone. Niall nudged me and said, “Let’s give ‘em a good picture, yeah?” Laughing, I posed in the back seat with Niall, both our tongues sticking out and making silly faces while the paps snapped away. We finally reached the street and we were on our way to McDonalds.

Niall and I were still laughing about our poses from earlier. I unbuckled my seat belt to move to the front with Harry.

“What do you think you’re doing?” asked Harry turning back and forth from me to the road.

“I was gonna move in front with you,” I stated, grabbing the head rest of the front seat.

“(Y/N), put your seat belt back on. You can change seats when we get there but, for now, stay in the back, yeah?”

“Okay, sounds good,” I said clicking the seatbelt around my lap.

“I see how it is,” said Niall narrowing his eyes.

“What?” I asked, oblivious.

“You don’t want to sit with me,” said Niall turning away towards the window.

“Niall-“

“DON’T!” exclaimed Niall, making me jump, “It’s too late.”

I reached over to Niall, resting my hand on his shoulder, “You know I will always love you, Niall, but...we both knew this day would come,” I said in a dramatic tone.

Niall contorted his face as he cried, “HOLD ME!”

Harry and I laughed as he buried his head in my shoulder, his hair tickling my cheek. I chuckled, wrapping my arms around his shoulders, apologizing for making him feel unwanted. Harry pulled into the drive through and stopped behind a long line of cars. He turned back towards us. “Hands off,” said Harry, “He’s my man.”

Niall wrapped his arms around my rib cage, “I’ve moved on, Harry,” he said squeezing me, “And so have you with that Samantha girl.”

That hit me like a spear through the chest. It didn’t surprise me that Niall knew about her but the fact that he mentioned them getting cozy together scared the crap out of me. Niall felt me get tense and looked up at me, thinking he was making me uncomfortable from his touch.

“Sorry, (Y/N),” he said, drawing back his hands, “Was only havin’ a bit of fun.”

“Oh no, no,” I said, recovering from the scare, “It’s fine, I just…” I didn’t know what to do. Harry was staring at me and I didn’t want Niall to feel awkward. I went with the first thing that came to my mind. Looking back, I really wish I didn’t.

“I was holding in a fart.”

Niall and Harry burst into a fit of laughter. Harry rolled down the windows to air out the car and my whole face turned tomato red. They would not stop laughing. Niall hollered in the back seat while Harry cackled in the front. I turned away from them and looked out the window, trying my best not to punch them both.

“You can sit up front now if you want,” said Harry trying to control his laughter, “But not if you’re gonna fart again.”

That made the two laugh even harder. I moved out of my seat to the front. While Harry pulled forward, I pretended to lose my balance and shoved my butt right in his face.

“Get your ass out of my face!” he laughed, trying to shove me away with his forearm so he wouldn’t grab my butt.

“Oh no,” I said in a fake tone of worry, “I’ve lost my balance!”

Harry gasped, seeing that he was getting way too close to the car in front of him, and slammed on the brakes. Then I really did lose my balance and fell in his lap. My legs were draped over the middle compartment and my head would have hit the window but thankfully it was open due to my “fart” earlier.

“Hello,” I said looking up at Harry.

“Hi,” he said, “Comfy?”

“Not really, no,” I said as we approached the speaker in the drive through.

“Welcome to McDonalds. What can I get for you?”

I turned to face the window, but when I put my hand down to turn over, I accidentally pushed on Harry’s groin. I gasped and Harry’s face distorted in the way that it did when he usually got hit there.

“Niall, you order first,” I said moving out of Harry’s lap and into the passenger’s seat.

Niall ordered his meal and I ordered for Harry and myself, making sure to order Louis’ as well. Zayn and Perrie went out for breakfast on their own so we didn’t order for them. Seeing as Liam was working out, we figured he wouldn’t be in the mood for a greasy breakfast.

After receiving our food, Harry drove off, still looking a bit uncomfortable.

“I’m really sorry, Harry,” I said, uneasy.

“It’s fine,” he said, massaging himself.

“You want me to drive?” I asked, putting a straw in his orange juice.

“I’ll be fine, really, Louis’ done much worse,” he groaned, “It was an accident.”

“What’d you do?” asked Niall, shoving his face with his breakfast sandwich.

“I crushed his junk with my hand trying to get out of the seat,” I explained.

Niall almost choked on his sandwich. He began to laugh again, making Harry’s eyebrows furrow.

“We can drop him off on that corner,” I said pointing to the stop light ahead.

“That’s a great idea,” said Harry putting both hands back on the wheel.

We got back to the hotel, this time using the back entrance, and went up to the seventh floor. Everyone was back and we decided to eat in Niall, Liam, and Louis’ room. Louis excitedly took his breakfast from my hands as I sat down next to him.

“Thank you for the tea,” he said kissing my cheek.

“Yeah, sure. That drive was terrible,” I whispered to him.

“What happened?” he asked taking a bite of hash brown.

“First, I had to fake a fart, then-“

“Wait, what? You had to _fake_ a _fart_?”

“It’s a long story. I’ll explain later. Anyway-“

“No, explain now. Sum it up for me.”

I sighed, “Niall was hugging me and I got all tense ‘cause he mentioned Samantha Klem and Harry together and he thought it was ‘cause of him and they were both staring so I said the first thing that came to mind and I said I had to fart.” Louis laughed out loud, causing everyone to look at us and my eyes widened at the older boy. Niall caught on.

“Did she tell you about the fart?” asked Niall, causing Louis to laugh harder.

That made everyone laugh and made my face blush five different shades of red. I was so embarrassed. I didn’t even fart! It was so humiliating. Louis pulled me into a hug.

“I hate you so much,” I mumbled.

“It’s not so bad,” he said rubbing my shoulder.

“Then she man handled my nuts,” said Harry sitting next to Liam on the opposite bed.

“I said I was sorry! You should have watched the car in front of you,” I argued to defend myself from further embarrassment.

“You shouldn’t have shoved your ass in my face!” retorted Harry.

“You shouldn’t have made fun of me when I was embarrassed!” I exclaimed.

“Children! Children!” said Niall standing in between the two of us, “There’s no need to argue. Let’s all just enjoy our breakfast,” he finished, sipping a sweet tea.

A sweet tea. He didn’t order a sweet tea.

“Niall, where’d you get that sweet tea?” I inquired.

Harry’s eyes widened.

“From the table over there,” he said, taking another sip, “I just needed a quick sip to clear my throat.”

“That’s my sweet tea.”

“I know that’s-“

“Niall. That’s. _My_. **_Sweet Tea._** ”

“You’ve done it now, mate,” said Harry, gripping his orange juice, “ _I_ don’t even touch her sweet teas.”

Niall slowly gave me back my drink and I handed it to Louis.

“Hold my sweet tea.”

Louis took my sweet tea from me, “You kick his ass, baby. I got your sweet tea.”

Niall was on the ground within seconds, screaming for mercy.

* * *

 

We spent the day roaming the hotel. The boys would stop and say hi to eager fans, take pictures with them, and wave at the small crowds that would gather outside. They decided to go swimming in the hotel pool and, because I had showered upon returning, I sat by the side while they swam. Luckily, Perrie joined me on the pool chairs while the boys threw each other in the pool.

“So how was last night?” asked Perrie, giving me a suggestive look.

I turned to her, unamused, “Nothing happened. Well, actually, I shouldn’t say nothing. He told me that he really liked being with me. He said that being with me reminded him of how it was before all the fame and pressure and that he was really happy I was here.”

Perrie screamed, clapping her hands together in delight. This caught the boys’ attention. I looked back at Perrie, smiling, and shushed her so they wouldn’t hear.

“(Y/N)! That’s fantastic!” sang Perrie.

“That doesn’t mean he likes me, Perrie,” I whispered.

“Well, it’s something,” she said, focusing her direction past me.

I turned around, following her gaze, and saw two very wet boys standing behind me. Louis and Niall were soaked and standing a little too close for comfort.

“Hello ladies,” said Niall, his accent thickening.

My eyes widened. Oh no.

“Care for a swim?” asked Louis, mischievous grin appearing.

“You wouldn’t dare,” said Perrie, gripping her chair.

Louis and Niall moved toward their targets. Louis grabbed my wrists, “Louis don’t! Come on, I took a shower!”

Niall was about to reach for Perrie when Zayn’s voice echoed from the pool, “Hands off, Ni.” Niall held up his hands in surrender as Perrie winked at her fiancé giving him a lovely smile.

“That’s great but what about me!?” I asked, desperate to get some help as Louis pulled me out of my seat. My feet slid against the tiled floor while I tried to get some traction to stop myself. Louis was strong, much stronger than me, and I knew that if I didn’t think of something quick I was going to join them in the pool with all my clothes on.

“Niall give me a hand here,” said Louis, drawing the blonde’s attention. Crap. Just what I needed. Now I was totally screwed. I dropped to the floor in a sitting position, stopping Louis from pulling me for a moment. Louis then grabbed my arms and I looked up to see Niall grabbing my legs.

“NO!” I yelled, squirming in their grasp, “Wait! Stop!”

As they moved toward the pool, with me in tow, Harry stood near the end with his arms out ready to catch me.

Oh, well, I guess a little swim wouldn’t be that bad.

Louis and Niall threw me into the pool before I could protest any further. I felt the cooling sensation of the water and Harry’s long arms wrapping around my back and legs. I gasped as air returned to my lungs. I wiped my eyes and looked into glowing green eyes through a forest of wet curly hair. Turning back to the two laughing idiots at the side of the pool, I yelled, “That is the last time I get you breakfast, Louis!” I moved the wet hair out of my face, “And you,” I said pointing to Niall, “You’ve officially made my hit list.”

They both laughed and jumped back in the pool. Realizing I was still in Harry’s arms, I moved his hair out of his eyes, off to separate sides, making him look silly.

“Thanks for the lift,” I said laughing.

“Uh huh,” he said dunking me under. I gasped coming back up.

“Harry sto-“ He dunked me again. I tried to get out of his arms when I was dunked again, “HARRY!” I yelled as he dove backwards throwing me over his head. I got my footing on the bottom of the shallow end and came up for air. My clothes weighed me down and it was a good thing I wore a t-shirt instead of my nice clothes. I was about to reach the stairs when Liam grabbed my foot and yanked me backward. I clawed at the water in front of me, trying to find a way to save myself from the boys. When both my feet reached the floor, they were swept out from below me by Liam’s leg, knocking me back in the water.

“That’s _it_!” I said, swimming to the ladder on the side of the pool, “You guys are _terrible_.”

They all laughed and chimed, “Aw (Y/N).” and “Come on, (Y/N).”

“No no, no, it’s cool,” I said sarcastically. Perrie held out a towel for me and I dried myself the best I could. I wrapped my hair in the towel around my head and sat back in my seat.

“Great, now I have to shower again,” I said, resting my head against the chair.

“Maybe Harry’ll get a good view,” winked Perrie as I laughed heartily and very sarcastically.

The boys finally finished swimming and grabbed towels of their own. I whispered to Perrie, “Hold onto Zayn. Watch this.” I took out my left earring and hid it in my pocket.

“Oh shit! Guys, I think my earring fell out in the pool,” I said faking a panic.

I went over to the side and looked into the deep end. Harry, Niall, Louis, and Liam came by the end as well. Perrie held Zayn’s hand to stop him from going over. She gave him a look and he picked up what was going on. Liam jumped into the pool to feel around the bottom. While attention was on him, I pushed Harry into the pool. While Harry was falling, he reached out and grabbed Niall, who also fell into the pool. Louis looked on with a shocked expression. I stepped towards him and he flinched. Seeing this, I raised my fists in the air and yelled, “I am the Master Commander!”

After we changed in our rooms, and after my second shower of the day, we all went to Niall, Louis, and Liam’s room to relax at the end of the day. We sat on the beds, deciding what we should do.

“We could go out but there’s nowhere really to go ‘cause it’s Sunday,” said Liam.

“I’m fine with just chillin’ here,” said Zayn, putting an arm around Perrie.

“Yeah,” I sighed relaxing into the pillow, “That sounds nice.”

Harry came into the room and plopped onto the bed, next to me. He turned over, on top of me, and rested his face on my chest, digging his arms under my own.

“Comfy?” I asked, hoping he didn’t hear my heart beating rapidly.

“Mmm,” he hummed, “They’re not the biggest, but mammories are mammories.”

I squeezed his side so he would get off of me. He flinched and rolled off, settling next to me.

“I want to cuddle with (Y/N),” said Perrie, extending her arms, while she was in Zayn’s. I laughed and reached back half-heartedly across the two beds, “She’s so cuddly.”

“She is literally the perfect pillow,” added Harry, “When we fly I always fall asleep ‘cause she’s the perfect height,” he finished, poking me.

“Alright lads, and ladies,” said Louis entering the room with Niall and snacks galore, “It’s movie time.”

“Sweet, what are we watching?” asked Liam. Louis smirked, holding up the remote, “The Conjuring.”

* * *

 

I actually screamed during the movie.

I hated scary movies. I always have, and Harry knew it. I held the pillow close to me like a shield and was a mess throughout the entire thing. There was a part that made me actually wail, making Harry cackle his own fears away.

After the movie ended, it was time for bed. I was exhausted as I made my way back to my shared room with Harry. We brushed our teeth, washed our faces, and I changed into my sweats while Harry stripped out of my sight. We climbed into our beds and wished each other a good night and turned out the lights.

I couldn’t sleep.

I was scared. My heart rate kept climbing as I heard noises. I always got like this when I watched scary movies. I only watched because Harry was near and I didn’t want to spoil the fun of the night. It was so late and this was torture. There was only one way to solve my problem and that was usually to sleep with my sister, but seeing as she wasn’t here, there was only one other option. Finally, after a half hour of arguing with myself, I gave in.

“Harry,” I whispered, hoping he was still awake, “Harry.”

“Hmm?” he responded, eyes still closed.

“I’m scared, dude,” I said, realizing I sounded like a little kid.

“Yeah, I know, I can hear you flinch when there’s a noise,” he stated tiredly.

I blushed, “I’m sorry.”

Harry turned and faced me, “Not your fault. I knew this was gonna happen. Last time I visited, your sister told me about your scary movie sleepovers.”

I gave him a pleading look, “Got room for one more?”

Harry moved to the left side of the bed, “Grab my sweats on the ground over there.”

I got out of my bed, with my pillow in tow, and picked up his pants. I threw them to him and he put them on under the covers.

“Do you want your briefs?” I asked, a bit embarrassed. I couldn’t believe this was happening.

“No, just hurry up and get in,” he said, holding up the covers.

“Okay, okay,” I said, taking the covers from him. I snuggled in and faced right while he faced left. I became calm right away. I felt the warmth of his back near mine. It wasn’t against mine, but I could feel how big it was. His broad shoulders dug into the mattress and his brown curls spread across his pillow. I heard his soft breathing steady as he drifted off to sleep.

I hugged my pillow close to me and tried to shake my nerves. Being this close to the one you love is really unsettling, especially when he’s only in a pair of sweatpants sleeping next to you. But Harry was still my best friend, and having him near me made me feel safe. I finally closed my eyes and welcomed the sleep I desperately needed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi or leave an ask on my tumblr: http://spring1924.tumblr.com :)

I woke feeling very comfortable and warm. I had never felt this comfortable, not even in my own bed at home. Sleep was calling me back into its wonderful embrace when suddenly my eyes shot open. I felt constriction on my upper half and a barrier on my lower. It was the reason why I was so warm and goosebumps appeared all over my body as I realized what was happening. Oh my God.

Harry was holding me.

In his sleep.

While I hugged my pillow, Harry hugged my torso. With my back facing him, his arms wrapped around the bottom of my ribs, right below my chest, one of his hands resting in between my side and the bed. His legs fit against mine, like a puzzle piece. I was basically sitting in his lap…his barely clothed lap.

His curls and breath tickled the back of my neck because his face was buried into the space between my neck and the mattress. What really made me flustered was how close he was holding me to his body. He was holding me so securely that it surprised me, considering his unconscious state.

I had to calm down. If I moved, even in the slightest, it could wake him. If I woke Harry, it’d be awkward and weird which could lead him to avoiding me and I didn’t want that. I couldn’t have that happen.

I stayed perfectly still and evened out my breathing. I decided to go back to sleep and wait until Harry woke up. If he woke up first, he could move while I still slept, making the situation like it never happened. I closed my eyes and waited for my mind to drift again. Then I felt something against my butt.

Nope. Sleep definitely would not be coming back.

My heart raced like a prize winning horse. This was horrible. How was I supposed to get out of this!?

Suddenly, Harry shifted in bed. Instinctively, my eyes shut and I knew what I had to do.

Play dead.

With my eyes closed, I felt Harry stir behind me. He took his face out of the crevice that was the mattress and my neck as he exhaled. He shifted next to me and I could now feel a presence near my face. I prayed there was no blushing in my cheeks and that I was convincing in my sleeping act. It was a couple moments before he moved closer to me and I felt his lips against my cheek.

Wait, what?

After the light brush of his lips on my face, I decided to stir a bit in my sleep to make it more believable. I moved my head a little, then dropped back to my hug pillow. I heard Harry let out a short breath, almost a quick chuckle, as he began to cautiously move away from me. His arms carefully slid out from under and around me, slowly and gently. I felt the opposite end of the bed dip as he got up. I peeked my eyes open to see if my assumptions from earlier were correct. As Harry walked to the bathroom I could clearly see the tent in his sweatpants.

Oh my God.

I was right.

And that touched my butt.

When the door to the bathroom closed, I sat up in bed, covering my face. I was blushing and hyperventilating at the same time. When I calmed down, I could feel the ghost of Harry’s arms around me and how small I felt against his long body. And that kiss.

Oh my God.

THAT KISS.

Why did he kiss me? It didn’t make sense. If he had Samantha, then why did he do that? I wasn’t concerned about him holding me in his sleep, Harry always moved around in his sleep. This wasn’t the first time Harry’s snuggled up to me while sleeping, but it’s usually just a head on the shoulder or when he’s really tired I’d lend him my thigh to sleep on. This was an extreme, but we hadn’t shared a bed since we were kids, practically toddlers, so I figured it was normal. That kiss wasn’t.

While the shower was running, I heard a grunt come from the bathroom. It was only one, not too loud, but I heard it. My face exploded into a deeper blush. I knew what he was doing in that bathroom and it made me think very inappropriate things. I shook my head and took a deep breath.

Gaining my composure, I decided to have a little fun.

Harry came out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around his waist, and shook his wet mop of hair, “Morning.”

“Morning,” I responded, eyes lowering to the towel then shooting back up, _‘Be cool,’_ “Sorry again about last night. I’ll be fine tonight in my own bed so I promise I won’t bother you. I didn’t take up too much of the bed last night did I?”

“No, not at all,” he said. It didn’t even faze him that he was squishing me into him last night, “You’re a good sleeper, you stick to your own side.”

“Oh good,” I said walking towards the bathroom and called out to him, “By the way, are you alright?”

Harry paused a bit, “Yeah, I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

“I heard you in the bathroom,” I said nonchalantly, “I heard a noise so I thought you slipped or something.”

I would have given anything to see Harry’s facial reaction. Knowing him, his eyes probably widened the way they did when someone said something outrageous. He coughed and said, “I got some soap in my eyes. With my hair getting in the way, it stung really bad.”

Liar.

“You okay now?” I asked innocently as I teased my hair into a bump and threw it up in a ponytail. Harry came back into the bathroom, drying his hair in his towel, and hung it up on the towel rack, “I’m fine. Why aren’t you showering?”

“We’re going to the beach today, remember?” I said looking at him from the mirror. It was a good thing I shaved yesterday because even if we weren’t going, there was no way in hell I was showering after knowing what he did in there, “Speaking of which, why did _you_ shower?”

“Sam’s coming with us, so I wanted to smell good,” he said leaving the bathroom.

My stomach dropped. Samantha Klem was coming with us. Well great, just great, there goes my day. I was so excited to spend the day with Harry, Perrie, and the boys on the beach in L.A. but no. She had to come along too. She probably had a perfect body with huge ass boobs and everything. Harry loved boobs, it was obvious! That’s why I got a swimsuit to accentuate mine, as average as they are. I sighed and grabbed my swim suit from my bag and closed the door to change.

“Are you putting on your swimsuit now?” asked Harry from behind the door.

“Yeah, I don’t wanna go through the hassle of changing when we get there,” I sighed. Thinking he was done talking, I began to change.

“I wanna see it when you come out,” he said.

I looked up, shocked, into the mirror. He wanted to see me in the swimsuit, exclusively. Maybe he was just going to give me some brotherly advice about it. That’s what we usually did if we wanted to look good to the opposite sex. We’d call each other up or send pics of our outfits to see if they were good, me more so than Harry, but in reality I just wanted to hear him say I was pretty. But I didn’t ask him this time. He wanted to see it for himself.

Then I was reminded about the kiss on the cheek. I wanted to ask why he did it, but if I did then he’d know I was awake. If he knew I was awake, then he’d know I knew why he made that noise in the shower and then the whole universe would collapse on itself. I needed to keep it together and tell Perrie and Louis when I saw them, in private.

“(Y/N)? You okay?”

Snapping back to reality, I finished tying the straps behind my neck, “Yeah, just a second.” I opened the door a bit and peeked my head out.

Harry turned around to show off bright yellow swim shorts. They were a little tight on him and definitely did not leave much to the imagination.

“What the hell are those?” I asked trying with all my might not to laugh.

Harry looked down at himself, “What? They’re swim trousers.”

“More like swim briefs, Harry what the hell were you thinking when you bought those?” I asked, still hiding my body behind the door.

“What do you mean ‘what was I thinking?’ They’re nice, they make me look fit, they keep everything together, and they’re flexible,” he said as he bent is knees in a lunge.

I paused giving him a weird look, “You look like a yellow tattooed David Hasslehoff.”

“That is nothing but a compliment,” he said walking towards the bathroom, “Come on, Ms. Fashion Weekly, I showed you mine now show me yours.”

Before I could protest, he forced the door open all the way and led me out. I turned and sighed, hoping for the best. Before the trip, my sister and I went shopping for a new swimsuit for me. It was November so it was a little hard finding one but we came to the one I was currently wearing. I had a pair of black swim suit bottoms already and bought a padded teal top that tied at the neck. Because of my broad shoulders from sports, I felt comfortable in this because it helped slim my shoulders and gave my boobs some definition. Before the trip, I cut out a lot of sugar from my diet and worked out regularly to look good for this trip because I knew we’d be swimming and I wanted to impress Harry, even if it was only a little.

He didn’t say anything which made me nervous. I wanted to cover myself but I just stood there awkwardly under his gaze.

“Well?” I asked, breaking the silence.

“You can’t wear that,” he said turning and getting his stuff for the beach.

Excuse me?

“What? Why?” I asked panicking. Why did I think this was a good idea? Harry’s been surrounded by super models and celebrities, of course I’d look embarrassing compared to them. Now don’t get me wrong, I was nowhere near fat, I was athletic and had muscle, but I was not thin like the women he was used to. I was small in height and skinny but I looked strong and sometimes I guess that just wasn’t appealing. Then what Harry said next made me want to smack him.

“Your boobs aren’t that big. You’re gonna deceive the boys at the beach.”

My mouth dropped open the slightest bit as my brows furrowed, “Oh yeah? You think you’re gonna fool Samantha with that stuffed sock down your ‘swim pants?’ And how do you know how big I am?”

Harry turned back towards me with an unamused look, “’Cause I’ve known you since we were four and I’ve seen your chest on a daily basis to know that’s not you,” he said pointing to me.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t retaliate. He was right. I couldn’t say he wasn’t that big because, well, he was. It was proven this morning. I’ve seen the boys get de-pantsed multiple times, so I’ve basically lived every teenage girl’s dream but Harry’s was always the one I usually avoided best. Call me crazy, but I just felt too embarrassed to actually look.

I sighed and grabbed my clothes to pack for the beach. Well there goes any chance to impress Harry.

“You look good though.”

I stopped packing and looked over at him. He was looking at me with an apologetic smile, “You do.”

I smiled back, “Thanks bud, you too,” I said pulling up my rolled up jeans and threw on my black belly shirt, “Even if you look like a banana.”

He threw on a shirt and fit his wrap on his head, a dimpled smile gracing his face, “You ready to go?”

“Yeah, you got the sun block?” I asked.

“Yep, let’s go,” he said opening the door for me. We met the rest of the gang in the hallway and proceeded to walk to the cars. Since Harry was going to go pick up Samantha, I decided to go with Perrie and Zayn. I didn’t want to face the reality of the two being “together” just yet.

“You sure you don’t wanna ride with me?” asked Harry before I got in the car. Here we go again, the roller coaster of feelings.

“I’m gonna stick with Pez,” I said using Perrie’s nickname, “I wanna spend some time with her.”

“Ok, I’ll meet you there then,” said Harry getting into his car. When we left, the paparazzi were everywhere. Apparently Niall had tweeted about going to the beach which alerted every pap in L.A. The weather was really nice, much warmer than yesterday’s chill, so we all decided to lay out on the beach. I watched Harry turn in front of us while we kept moving forward. I sighed, leaning back into my seat and I felt Perrie grab my hand.

“It’ll be alright, love,” she reassured me quietly, “Don’t you worry. We’re gonna have a fun time, yeah?”

I smiled at her. She was right, even with Samantha there, I was going to make the best of this beach trip. I wasn’t going to let this get me down and I would not let this ruin everyone’s time with my attitude. I had never been to L.A. and I was going to live it up with my friends by my side. Perrie and Zayn talked along the way while I looked out the window at the sites of Los Angeles. It was an amazing city. It was so different from my home town that I couldn’t help but soak it in. When we reached the outskirts of the city, I decided to check my phone for the first time that day. I noticed a text I got from my younger sister.

_(Y/N) omg you have to read this girl’s blog. She’s obsessed with you and Harry._

I opened the link she sent me and sure enough her icon was a picture of me and Harry laughing. I remember that day. We were laughing about some crazy story he told me and we had just gotten Starbucks. I scrolled through this girl’s blog and saw that she was utterly convinced we loved each other. She had so many posts about our “secret relationship” and how we had to “hide it from the world.” There were pictures that were “proof” we were in a relationship, articles about our so called relationship, even drawings of us together. I couldn’t help but smile at some of the things I saw and read; they were very cute. I then saw a post she had made yesterday about me and Harry. It said, “HARRY AND (Y/N) SPOTTED YESTERDAY!” and below a huge explanation with pictures of us walking outside the hotel. Sure enough, there was me, on my way to McDonalds, with Harry and Niall. Thank goodness Harry let me wear his beanie otherwise I would have looked horrible, but I actually looked really cute next to him with his hat on. The girl apparently agreed.

 _She’s wearing his beanie!_ It said with a picture of him wearing it and then me from yesterday. She wrote about, and showed pictures of us, holding hands and how he whispered in my ear, little did she know he was telling me to avoid looking at the paps. Still, I couldn’t help but smile when I saw how protective he looked in the pictures. It was really cool seeing us from the perspective of others. My attention was drawn from my phone when Perrie spoke.

“Were those taken yesterday?” she asked looking over from her seat.

“Oh, uh, yeah, my sister sent me this saying I looked weird in a beanie,” I laughed, lying about the source, too embarrassed to say it was a blog about us. I didn’t want to seem like a desperate creep. Perrie smiled at me, “You two are so cute together. Seriously, (Y/N) you both are adorable.”

Her words made me blush which reminded me of what happened this morning, “That’s right! Perrie! I need to tell you what happened!”

Luckily, Zayn sat in front with Paul while I whispered what happened to Perrie. I told her all about last night, how I was scared so Harry let me sleep in his bed, how I woke up, Harry’s predicament, THE KISS.

“Oh my God! He _kissed_ you!?”

“On the cheek, but that’s not all.”

I continued to tell her about how I teased him when he came out of the shower. About how he wanted to see me in my swim suit and how he modeled for me as well. I laughed as I told her about his swim trunks, “Just wait you’re gonna die laughing,” and I told her what he told me when he saw me in my swim suit and how embarrassing yet endearing it was to hear that from him.

“Now that’s just annoying,” said Perrie crossing her arms.

“Well it’s true and it’s Harry so if he says it doesn’t suit me it-” I asked.

“No no, it’s just…so _odd_. He’s acting like he likes you, (Y/N), like…more than a friend.”

I sighed, “But this is how we always act. We’re very honest with each other.”

“Then what about that kiss, hm? Was it a friendly good morning kiss?”

I blushed and shushed her, “Not so loud! I don’t know! He’s kissed my cheek before…”

“Yeah, when he greets you and says goodbye. Everyone does that,” waved Perrie, “This is different. He thought you were asleep. No boy just does that to any girl.”

“Yeah, but this boy right now is picking up his current love interest,” I stated leaving a bad taste in my mouth.

“Complete bullshit,” stated Perrie, taking my hand, “We’ll see how he acts with her around today. I doubt it’ll be anywhere near how he treats you.”

I sighed, squeezing back, “I hope you’re right.”

We arrived at the beach and the sun was blazing. It was fantastic weather and I was ready to have some fun. Paul pulled up next to Paddy, Louis, Niall, and Liam’s car and parked as we shuffled out of our own with our gear in tow. We all made our way to a perfect spot to set up. Liam carried the umbrella and Zayn and Niall carried the coolers and food. Louis, Perrie, and I carried the bags and towels as we laid them on the sand. After settling on the beach, everyone who didn’t already have their swimsuits on went to go change, leaving Niall and I on the beach. Paddy and Paul sat near the cars shooting the breeze until Harry arrived to make sure everything was okay before leaving. They wouldn’t be too far off but they were going to enjoy their day somewhere away from the young adults.

Niall stood and began to run to the ocean. He jumped into the waves with a holler and laughed coming back to the surface, “(Y/N)! Come on in!”

“Have you put on sun block?” I yelled at him.

“It’s a little cold but you get used to it real quick!”

“Niall, come here! Your Irish skin will never survive out in this sun!”

Niall laughed coming out of the water, his hair and trunks soaking wet. He came over to me as I threw him his towel. He dried himself off and draped the towel over his head as he sat in the shade of the umbrella.

“Here’s the sunblock you dope. People are gonna mistake you for Moby Dick,” I said ruffling the towel over his blonde tuft of hair. Niall laughed as he looked up into my eyes, my hands on either side of his head. His cerulean orbs matched the color of the sea as I became a little mesmerized by them.

“’Cause I’m so big, yeah?” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

I moved my face closer to his, “’Cause you’re pale as hell,” I said covering his face again. He laughed and began covering his limbs in sun block.

“Could ya get my back?” he asked and I obliged, helping him get to the water faster. I rubbed the lotion all over his tensing back muscles. For the first time I noticed how big Niall’s back was.

“Okay all done,” I said rubbing my hands over my own limbs. Niall squirted some in his hands and rubbed them over his hands. He crouched towards me and I gave him a confused look.

“Your turn,” he stated, holding his hands out.

“Oh! Thanks,” I said turning my back to him as he covered my back with sun screen. I felt how big his hands were against my shoulder blades. He smoothed the lotion from the back of my neck, to over the back of my arms, and all the way to the bottom near my lower half. I blushed a bit, feeling his callused guitar playing fingers smooth the cool lotion over my lower back. I had never felt like this, strangely embarrassed over a simple act. It was weird. I stiffened a bit when Niall slid his hand under the strap circling my back.

“Done,” he said snapping the strap against my skin. I turned around and he was already half way to the water. I chased after him laughing until I reached the shore line and stopped dead in my tracks. I looked down and froze, my eyes widening. I saw full and beautiful conch shells under the water. Now, usually, people would be ecstatic to see these kind of shells in such perfect condition, but I was far from ecstatic.

I was terrified.

I looked around and saw more, much more than I feared. If these shells were here, then that meant one thing.

Mollusks.

I had gastoropophobia, a fear of mollusks. When I was in second grade, my mom took my sisters, Harry, and Gemma to the aquarium. Being obsessed with The Little Mermaid, I was excited to go. When we arrived, I wanted to see the dolphins right away, so Harry and I had scurried off, away from our families. Being so young, we had no idea where we were going. We followed anything that looked like it was related to dolphins which, somehow, led us to the bottom feeder exhibit. I started to become uncomfortable, seeing all the worms and slugs in their tanks. Harry got distracted near the sea cucumbers as I found an empty tank. Curiously, I put my face up against it to get a better view when all of a sudden, the sand was swirled into a fury when a camouflaged octopus revealed itself. It moved so fast, I could hardly see what was happening until I saw its beak snapping at me. I fell over screaming as its tentacles and suckers slid against the glass, its beak still snapping furiously. I looked up at the creature, horrified, while I shrieked, tears falling from my eyes. I covered my eyes as Harry came over and saw what happened. He tried to calm me, and shield me from the terrifying sight, but I was hyperventilating and crying from sheer horror. A staff worker found us and guided us away from the tanks as Harry worked with him to find my mom and our sisters. To this day, I am still petrified of anything related to an octopus or slug. If I even see a picture of one I cringe and have to look away.

And now I was standing on a beach, infested with my biggest fear, and I was too close for comfort.

I retreated back to the umbrella meeting up with Louis, Liam, Zayn, and Perrie, forgetting about Niall’s little antics entirely. After they put on their sun block, they all decided to go in the water. I figured Zayn would stay behind, due to his fear of water, but Perrie brought out the bravery in him as he stood near the shoreline playing with the gang. They encouraged me to come along but I declined, saying I would wait for Harry. Maybe if he was here, I would find my courage like Zayn did with his love.

After about 15 minutes, Liam walked out of the waves and came closer to the umbrella. Thinking he was hungry or thirsty, I grabbed a cooler for him.

“Hey Liam, what do you need?”

Unfortunately, he had other plans. He crouched down and lifted me into his arms, effortlessly, and began carrying me to the ocean, “Come on, in you go.”

I verbally refused and fought his hold on me, “Liam, Liam, no please come on I’ll go in I promise just not right now,” but Liam was the strongest out of all five of the boys, there was no way I could get out of this physically so I began to beg, “Liam, please don’t do this. Liam. Liam! STOP, LIAM, STOP!”

I practically shrieked as we approached the water. Liam stopped and looked at me, seeing tears brim my eyes. Feeling my body tense up made Liam realize something was wrong.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked suddenly very concerned. He put me down and apologized, seeing how frightened I was.

“Yeah, yeah,” I breathed, “I just, uh, need a moment. I’ll go in later but for now I’ll just chill by the umbrella.”

“Okay, love, yell if you need anything,” said Liam apologizing once more before going back into the water. I felt terrible for making Liam feel bad but I was not going near that water. I sat back down on the towels in the shade as I watched them all have fun. I saw Zayn pick up a shell and could make out a disgusting slimy worm like thing writhing out of it, looking for the sand to dig back into. Ugh.

I wished I could join them. I wanted to play and forget my worries and fears about Harry and the possibility of having a woman come between us. I heard the sound of tires and turned to see Harry’s car finally pull into the parking area of the beach. My stomach dropped. Here we go.

Harry, and the young model, came out of both sides of the car. Harry pulled both his and Samantha’s things out of the car and began to walk over to Paul and Paddy. They greeted each other and after talking a bit, Paul and Paddy went into a car and drove off. Harry and Samantha walked over to our camp site and set down their things.

“Hey, (Y/N),” said Harry straightening up after setting down their bags.

“Hey,” I returned, standing to greet them, “Glad you guys made it.”

“Yeah, we’re a little late ‘cause of all the stuff we had to bring,” he said pointing to the bags, “(Y/N), this is Samantha Klem, Sam this is (Y/N).”

I extended my hand, “Nice to meet you,” I said smiling. She took it and shook, “You too.” She was much tanner than myself but it was obvious it wasn’t from the sun. She had on a large sun hat and coach shades. She wore a bathing suit sun dress that made her legs look long and thin.

“You ready to join the others?” asked Harry.

“Yeah, sure,” said Samantha as both stripped down to their suits. Harry’s obnoxious yellow shorts practically blinded me while she sported a strapless neon pink bikini. Damnit, she was flawless. Skinny, tan, and not even an inch of cellulite. I didn’t have any either but I was hoping for _something_ , I mean _damn!_

They both began walking toward the water when Harry turned to me, “You comin?”

I smiled, “Maybe later, I’m not feelin’ so hot. You go ahead.”

Harry turned back to Samantha, and her stupid white straight toothed smile, and strolled to the rest of the group. They all cheered when the two arrived and Perrie, remembering what I said earlier, began to laugh at Harry’s swim wear, causing the rest to laugh. Harry huffed and put his hands on his hips, trying to retaliate but it only made them laugh harder. I smiled, knowing I was right, and grabbed a water from the cooler. I wished I could just go over and play with the rest of them. I wanted nothing more than to cool myself off and be active with my friends, but no, the tide had to wash all my fears onto the shore.

After another ten minutes went by, I saw Liam walk over near Harry. I didn’t pay much attention to them until Liam pointed over by me. Harry followed his hand and then took a good look around where they stood. Nodding his head, Harry said something to Samantha and began to walk back towards the beach. I watched him walk until he finally reached me.

“Hey,” I said looking up at him.

“What’s up?” he asked, putting his hands on his hips.

“Nothing,” I said, “just chillin’.”

“Really? Is that why you haven’t gone in the water yet?” he said, raising his eyebrows.

I looked down at the towel I sat on, shame covering my face.

“There are snails all over the beach, but you obviously saw that, yeah?”

I nodded my head, bringing my knees to my chest.

“Why didn’t you say anything earlier?” he asked, sounding like a parent.

“I didn’t want to embarrass myself. It’s a stupid fear to have, Harry,” I said drawing lines in the sand next to me. Harry crouched down in front of me, “Hey,” he said taking my chin in his fingers, tilting my eyes towards his, “Today, we’re gonna have fun, and no snail is gonna ruin that, okay? Now come on, I’ll help you out.”

Harry stood up and extended his hands. I hesitated, but took them as he helped me up, easily. We walked toward the water and each step I took made panic rise in my chest. I couldn’t do this. I thought with Harry here I would be able to but the coward in me was winning.

“No, no, no,” I said turning around, “I can’t do this.”

“Yes you can, come on,” he said grabbing my wrist and pulling me forward. Panicking, I began to push my feet in the sand, trying to get footing against Harry’s grasp.

“No, Harry, no, please,” I said as Harry turned, yanked me forward, and caught me with his shoulder, doubling me in half in a fireman carry, “HARRY! PUT ME DOWN! _HARRY!_ ”

I screamed for him to put me down but as we got into the water I quickly changed my mind, “DON’T PUT ME DOWN! DON’T YOU _DARE_ PUT ME DOWN!” I grabbed onto him for dear life as the gang crowded around us.

“Okay lads, and ladies,” he said moving back and forth with me clutching his shoulders, like a cat above water, “(Y/N), here, is afraid of these snails,” he said, kicking a shell out of the sand. Its long appendage slithered out of the sand and dug back in, causing a short breath from me. Tears now threatened to fall from my eyes as I watched the sand under the water in horror, “If we want (Y/N) to join us, we’re gonna have to throw them out to sea. That cool with you guys?”

They all agreed and began picking up the shells and chucking them as far as they could, out into the ocean. Now that I was on the sand, joined by Samantha because she was grossed out by them, I couldn’t blame her, Harry and the boys began throwing the snails in their sight. While on the shore, I began conversing with Samantha, as Perrie walked back to the umbrella to get some water. I might as well get to know the enemy while I could.

“So, Samantha, when did you and Harry meet?” I asked genuinely interested.

“About two weeks ago,” she said, “I met him in L.A. when they were doing a gig. My agent arranged for me to go back stage. I met Harry and we hit it off. I gave him my number and we just started texting.”

“Oh, very cool,” I said taking note of the whine in her accent. I prayed it wouldn’t annoy me too much, “So what have you been up to lately? I heard you got a new modeling gig in L.A. That’s gotta be exciting.”

“Yeah, it is, thank you! It’s nice to be in Los Angeles. But oh my god, the food here has gotten me so bloated. It’s not natural for people to eat as much as they do in this country.”

 _‘What do you mean it’s not natural?! I know we eat a lot but really??’_ I tried my best to make small talk, “Nonsense! You look amazing, Sam!”

“Thank you, but,” Samantha looked me up and down, “I guess you would think that,” she said turning back to face the sea. Excuse me?

“Oh, and please don’t call me Sam. That’s _Harry’s_ nickname for me.”

I just stood there looking at her. Note taken, bitch.

“All done,” said Harry moving back towards us.

“Yay!” cheered Samantha as she kissed his cheek and took his hand leading him out into the water. Stupidly, I felt very insecure.

Did that just happen?

Perrie joined me on the shore and I gave her a look, “What’s up?” she asked.

“I think…” I bit my lip, “I think Samantha just insinuated that I was fat…”

Perrie’s eyes widened, “Are you serious?”

I told her our conversation word for word, “She definitely insinuated that you were fat, oh my God! We have to tell Harry!”

“No,” I said shaking my head, “No, not now, we’ll tell him later. For now, let’s just enjoy the day. Now that I can, I wanna have some fun!”

Perrie sighed, “You’re too nice, love. To everyone but yourself.”

I shrugged, “I don’t know about that. Just wait ‘till you see what I’ve got in store for Niall.”

We laughed and joined the others in the water.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi or leave an ask on my tumblr http://spring1924.tumblr.com/ :)
> 
> So it has come to my attention that I accidentally uploaded the same chapter twice! Sorry about that! Enjoy two new chapters this week and thanks for reading!

The rest of the day on the beach was filled with swimming and laughter. We decided to play chicken fights with Liam supporting me on his broad shoulders, and we dominated _everyone_. Perrie and Zayn were fun to face and Louis would switch off making sure to give both Zayn and Perrie a rest. Samantha and Harry were on their own team and would switch out with me and Liam. I didn't dare face them, worrying I wouldn't be able to control myself and try to beat Samantha to a pulp. Regardless to say, Liam and I were a force to reckon with.

I would slip out of our opponent's grasp and Liam was my rock. Every time it seemed like we would go down, he would pop back up and steady me on his shoulders. Niall was itching for a chance to face us, the dynamic duo, and I was waiting patiently for my revenge. I was going to get back at him for being cheeky and snapping the strap on my swimsuit. Harry decided to join in on the fun and partnered up with Niall. This was gonna be good.

Harry rose out of the water, his mop of hair covering his eyes, with Niall ready to go. Liam and I assumed our positions and I was up immediately, level with Niall.

"You're goin' down," he challenged with Harry smirking like the idiot he was.

"Not likely," I responded as Liam mocked them by giving them a thumbs down.

"Ready?" announced Zayn, slapping the water, "GO!"

Liam and Harry charged making Niall and I collide our hands. He was strong, so was Louis, but I could slip out of his hold and push him back. Niall was holding on with a firm grip and even though we were wet, it wasn't enough to get me out of his grasp.

Niall reared my arms to the side, causing Liam and I to topple, but Liam had us upright before I could hit the water.

"Nice job, Liam," I said, patting his head.

"These guys are good," Liam reported.

"I've got an idea," I said quietly so only he could hear. Niall had his stupid grin on his face and waved his hands in a _bring it on_ kind of fashion. Liam trudged back over to them and the fighting resumed.

I had to distract Niall. That was the only way we were going to win this fight. There were only so many times Liam could come back up after being knocked down, even with his strength, and I didn't stand a chance against any of the boys when it came to physicality. The element of surprise was the only way to assure victory.

Liam got closer and Niall quickly caught my arms again. We struggled as he laughed, "I'm gonna win!"

With that statement, I let go completely and slid my hands in between his arms and took his face in my hands. Before he could move them out of the way, I went in for the kill. I moved my face directly towards his and aligned our lips just right. Before our lips could meet, and before Niall even had a chance to gasp, I pushed him backwards with every ounce of strength I had. Liam also pushed Harry, who was distracted by what was going on above him, and fell backwards as well. Liam and I raised our fists in the air as reigning champions. Niall and Harry rose to the surface less than happy.

“Are you not entertained!?” I cheered in a gruff voice as Liam paraded us around in the water.

"You cheated!" accused Niall, spitting the water from his lips.

"No I didn't," I retorted, still propped on Liam's shoulders, "I saw an opening and I took it."

"You were gonna kiss me!"

"It's your fault for falling for it!"

"I want a rematch," Niall growled, turning towards Harry who was unusually quiet.

"Bring it on! We're gonna win again anyway!" I said high-fiving Liam.

All four of us faced each other, waiting for Zayn's signal. As soon as he gave the word, we were at it like cats and dogs.

Niall was ruthless. He was adamant on winning. After the stunt I pulled, he was fired up. We grunted as we fought each other, trying any way to get balance and cause damage at the same time. This time, Niall wasn't going easy. I was no match for his strength. I was going to lose.

Suddenly, Harry lost his footing in the sand. That was all I needed to swerve Niall to the side and make him lose his balance. While he fell, he tried to grab my shoulder and bring me down with him but instead of grabbing my skin, he grabbed the knot tying my swimsuit around my neck. He pulled, tugging it loose and I felt the strain on my neck disappear.

Before I could even react, Harry threw Niall off of him and lunged towards us. He wrapped his right arm around my stomach and yanked me off of Liam. I crashed into the water and was pulled to the surface. I felt the warmth of his skin as Harry engulfed me in his arms facing away from the group.

"Harry! What the hell are you doing?" Gasped Niall as he resurfaced.

"What the hell are _you_ doing!?" He yelled back at Niall, "You took her top off!"

I blinked into his collar bones as he shielded me from the group.

"Oh shit! I didn't do it on purpose!" Said Niall, trying to defend himself.

"Uh, Harry," I said, trying to get his attention.

"You have to be more careful, Niall!"

"Hey, Harry."

"Mate, calm down it was an accident," chimed Liam, running a hand through his hair.

"She could've been exposed!" He exclaimed, like a worried parent.

"Harry!" 

Finally Harry turned to me, looking directly into my eyes, unwavering, "What? Do you need me to tie your suit?” He turned his head, “Turn around! No, look away!" Harry shooed towards Niall and Liam.

"No, I need you to let go of me," I stated, trying to keep my voice steady in the close proximity when he turned his face back towards mine.

“What?" He asked confused, "But, your suit-"

"Its fine," I sighed, trying to back away. Harry kept his hold though, unsure what to do and confused as to what I was talking about. Getting uneasy, I pushed against his arms, "Look."

Harry warily and slowly looked down from my face to see my swimsuit still attached to my body. Because my swimsuit was designed like a bra, it stayed in place, even without the straps tied around my neck. I laughed at his confused and embarrassed expression, "I uh...I..."

I tied up my straps and pat his arm, "Thanks, bud. I really appreciate your chivalry."

After a pause, he shook his head and pushed his hair to the side, regaining his composure, "No problem, short stuff."

“ _Short stuff?_ I am of average height, thank you very much!” I said placing my hands on my hips.

“Yeah, for a smurf,” he said smirking.

I lunged at him and threw him off balance into the water. He quickly retaliated by lifting me and throwing me into the water. We laughed as the group joined in but my laughter subsided a bit when Harry lifted Samantha on his back and began to play with her.

After a warm day in the sun, dusk hovered over the horizon and we decided to have a campfire. Liam, Zayn, and Harry got the wood while Louis and Niall lit the fire. Perrie and I unwrapped the food and passed out the drinks. We all took our seats near the fire. I looked around and saw that Harry was quite occupied by Samantha so I sat next to Louis, who gave me a soft but knowing smile.

Zayn and Perrie then sang the most breath taking duet of Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men. I love when they sing. Their voices blended perfectly, like their vocal chords were literally shaped by God to harmonize with the other. I could listen to them sing forever. Louis and Harry sang a bit of the Fray, the boys graced us with a bit from their new album, and Niall sang old Irish folk songs. We all just comfortably sat, listening to each other. After Niall strummed the last chord, he turned to me and asked if I wanted to sing. I declined, intimated by the crowd surrounding me but he was determined to get me to sing.

"I don't know what to sing," I said trying to get out of this situation. Harry and Perrie were the only ones in the group who heard me sing before and, unfortunately, Perrie was suggesting songs left and right.

"Alright I got one," said Niall, strumming a familiar riff, "Join in on your part, (Y/N)."

My eyes moved from Niall’s guitar to Harry’s face, his green eyes encouraging me. My heart beat so fast as Niall began to sing.

_Do you hear me?_

_I'm talkin' to you_

_Across the water_

_Across the deep blue ocean_

_Under the open sky_

_Oh my, baby I'm tryin'_

I joined in, my voice a bit shaky at first but steadied as I saw Perrie give me the biggest smile.

_Boy I hear you_

_In my dreams_

_I hear your whisper_

_Across the sea_

_Keep you with me_

_In my heart_

_You make it easier when life gets hard_

Niall and I sang with a prettier harmony than I expected. His clear voice echoed with my own as we sang the refrain and continued on with the song. Half way through the song I realized Niall and I were staring at each other. I saw the fire dance in his eyes, lighting them up as we finished the song on a pretty note. The group clapped, hooped, and hollered. They cheered saying it was really good and sounded beautiful but I just stared at the fire, embarrassed, excited, and yet strangely comfortable singing with Niall.

"Alright lads, and ladies, it's time to play truth or dare," said Louis in a playful yet menacing voice.

"More like 'do something sexual' or 'how far have you gotten?'” corrected Liam.

"No no no," said Louis waving Liam's comment off to the side, "Not this time. I can't promise that we won't be partaking in anything sexual, but we're actually gonna have some fun this time around. I'll go first. Zayn!"

"Yeah mate," he said turning his attention to Louis.

"Truth or dare?"

"Mmm," he thought turning to Perrie smiling, "I'll go with dare."

Louis gave a cheeky grin, "Give Niall a love bite."

Everyone burst out into laughter as Zayn moved towards the blonde and his lips made contact with Niall's neck. Niall yelled at the strangeness of the feeling and pushed Zayn off him. A mark on his neck began to redden as Perrie laughed, "He could've done a lot worse!" Causing the group to laugh even harder. Niall rubbed his neck and grimaced, "The paps are gonna love seeing that."

Niall continued the game, "Samantha, truth or dare?"

Seeing as the game involved love bites, Samantha got a bit excited, "Dare, _bitch_!"

The group "oo"-ed as Niall raised his eyebrows.I could tell he was having none of that.

"Okay, lick Harry's foot."

The group roared in laughter. Louis clapped his hands as I hid my face in his shoulder. This was gold.

"Ew no! That's so gross!" exclaimed Samantha.

"Ah, ah, ah, you picked dare," tutted Niall. The group started chanting "lick it" as Harry raised his foot, making it easy for her. She bent down and quickly licked the top of it. The group clapped and hollered as she spit out sand from Harry's foot.

"I'm going to need a drink before I even think about doing anything like that again," she said wiping her mouth. Saying I wasn't beaming at what just happened would have been a huge fat lie.

After her dare, Samantha dared Louis to hump the side of Niall’s face as revenge. Louis dared Liam to cluck like a chicken every time someone said the word “no.” Liam then dared Harry to wear Perrie’s extra shorts that she brought along, surprisingly fitting him, but leaving nothing to the imagination. My eyes kept wandering and I had to consciously fight to keep them above his hips. Harry dared Zayn to meow every time someone said the word, “what,” for the rest of the evening. Zayn agreed and finally turned to me.

“(Y/N), Truth or dare?”

“I’m gonna regret this,” I moaned, “Dare.”

Perrie smiled and I became uncomfortable.

“I dare you to kiss Harry,” he said, “No less than 10 seconds.”

“What!?” I exclaimed. My cheeks became hot and the fire wasn’t helping.

“Meow,” said Zayn. Louis laughed, “You heard him, (Y/N)! A dare’s a dare!”

I looked at Harry who was staring back at me, “But, but, Harry and I are like siblings! That’s so awkward!” I said trying to appeal to the group.

“We’re not saying snog him, (Y/N),” eased Perrie, “Just a 10 second peck.” But that didn’t make me feel any better.

“No,” I said, making Liam cluck, “No offense, dude,” cluck, “but I can’t kiss you. Who knows what diseases you’ve got?” I said, trying to make a joke out of it.

Harry quirked an eyebrow, “Why don’t you come over here and find out?” He said pursing his lips and raising his eyebrows suggestively. My eyes widened and a shiver ran up my spine. Oh God, _please_.

I scoffed, “Sorry, I’m not doin it.” The group booed and argued.

“C’mon, (Y/N),” said Louis, nudging me, “If Samantha licked his foot and survived, I don’t think a kiss would kill you.”

“You haven’t seen half the stuff he’s shoved in there,” I said, making the group laugh and receiving a scrunched up nose and head shake from Harry, “I’m not doin’ it.”

“Then kiss Niall,” suggested Samantha. This bitch.

“Yeah! Niall deserves a good snog,” agreed Zayn gripping him by the shoulder. I looked over at the blonde. Kissing Niall was unexpected but given the circumstances, it was better than embarrassing myself by kissing Harry.

He caught my gaze, “Yeah, c’mon (Y/N), I promise it’ll be worth your while,” he said wiggling is eyebrows and licking his teeth. I’m not gonna lie, the sight was sexy. It was then that I made my decision.

I sighed, “Okay, fine.”

Louis, Liam, Zayn, and Samantha cheered. Perrie’s eyes widened and her mouth made an ‘o’ shape. Niall laughed as I made my way across the circle to him and sat on the log. I reached up and put both of my hands on either side of his face, like I did during our chicken fight, but gently this time. I moved my face closer to his, my heart racing, as I felt his breath against my lips and chin. It was warm when I closed my eyes and felt our lips connect. His were a bit chapped but did not feel bad at all. The group began to count up to ten. He circled his hands around my torso, pulling me closer. His light scruff poked at my hands and I felt my eyelashes rest on his cheeks. This was actually really, really nice, much nicer than I expected it to be.

When the group got to eight, Niall licked my lips and my eyes widened and I gasped, pulling away. Louis yelled that I had one more second so I rolled my eyes and gave Niall one more quick peck, fulfilling my dare. I stood up and went back to my seat receiving a whistle from Louis. When I sat, I looked back at Niall who gave me a wink and I smiled, shaking my head at him.

“That was adorable,” chimed Liam.

“Okay, okay, moving on,” I said trying to change the subject. Time for revenge, “Samantha, truth or dare?”

“Dare, what else?”

Perfect.

“Go take a mouth full of the sea over there and spit it on Zayn.”

Louis hugged me, grateful for the dare, and we watched as Samantha did what she was told. When she spit on Zayn, it was priceless. Perrie moved off the log and rejoined her future husband once he grabbed a towel to dry off his head and face. I smirked at him and he put his hands up, as if in surrender.

It was now Samantha's turn, "Harry, truth or dare."

"I'd be a coward if I didn't say dare," he drawled getting a fist bump from Louis.

"I dare you to motorboat someone," she said slightly sticking her chest out. I inwardly rolled my eyes to the back of my skull. Are you fucking kidding me?

"Alright," said Harry in that fun yet nonchalant way he always did when he didn't want to make a big deal out if something. He stood up and moved away from Samantha roaming the circle a bit. Ha ha.

He paused looking over Liam or Louis but his eyes kept roaming until they landed on…me?

Oh shit.

"You've got to be kidding me," I said leaning closer toward Louis.

"A dare's a dare, (Y/N)," he said shrugging and kneeling down in front of me, “and seeing how you didn’t want to kiss me, this’ll have to do.”

"No, no," I protested, putting my hands up to block him, while Liam clucked twice, "Dude, come on, stop this isn't funny."

"Well what's the use of that swimsuit then?" jeered Harry. My mouth dropped.

"It's for show only! No touching!" I exclaimed as he moved his hands towards my torso. I tried to block his hands but to no avail. Louis was no help at all. He just moved out of the way, laughing his ass off. I fell backwards over the log Louis and I shared and my back hit the sand. When I looked back up, Harry's lean and muscular form was above me and my heart felt like I was running a marathon. I had pictured this scene way too many times, more than I can say I'm proud of, the short shorts were new though. He was chuckling as he cupped my boobs with his huge hands and dug his face into the crevice between them. He squeezed my chest around his face and vibrated his lips. I screamed from the vibration and squirmed because it tickled. He kept me in place, even with all my movement, and sat on my thighs for good measure. I could take it anymore, so I dug my fingers into his knotted hair and tried to pry him off of me, "Harry enou-"

Suddenly, I felt a warm, smooth, slow, and wet sensation on my right breast.

Oh my God.

Harry just licked my boob.

"Mmm," he said, aligning his face with mine, and still very much on top of me, his eyes a dark shade of green that glistened from the fire, "salty."

"Ok!" I said, finally getting enough room between us and pushing him off of me, "Get off!"

He chuckled to himself as he walked back to his seat, getting high fives from Louis and Zayn along the way.

"Ugh," I said wiping the saliva off my breast, "that's disgusting."

"You loved it," he jeered. I did.

"Fuck off," I said finding my hoodie and throwing it over my head, in case another fiasco like the one that just occurred were to happen again. I could feel Louis and Perrie's eyes on me as if they were staring into my very soul. Good Lord.

After a few more embarrassing dares that involved Liam in Samantha's bra and Perrie doing cartwheels while shouting different profanities, it was time to return to the hotel. Paul and Paddy returned as we shuffled in our respectable cars, however this time I rode with Harry. I sat in the back while Harry drove and Samantha sat in the front where _I_ usually sat when driving with Harry.

It took a while to get to Samantha's hotel which made me feel a bit more relieved knowing with the amount of time it took to get there, they couldn't have possibly gone anywhere or done anything before arriving to the beach. Luckily, no paps were around when we pulled into the back and Harry got out of the car to help Samantha with her things. I moved to the front seat and saw them walk to the door. He set down her things and hugged her goodbye. My heart lurched into my stomach when I saw her go in for a kiss.

Dear God.

No.

Please don't make me watch this.

Harry turned his head to give her access to his cheek.

What?

As she kissed his cheek, I saw her eyes meet mine and I quickly looked away like I was playing with the radio. Awkward.

Samantha went inside and Harry strolled back to the car. He got in the front seat and gave me a big smile, "Well, I had fun today."

"Piss off," I mumbled, tampering with my phone case.

/I didn't look at him but I could feel his eyes on my face, "You're mad."

I looked forward, "Why you're not a detective, I'll never know."

Harry pressed his lips together, "Come on, (Y/N)! It was all in good fun."

"Really?" I said, finally looking at him, "Licking my boob in front of our friends. That's your idea of fun?"

"It was a dare, (Y/N)," said Harry as he backed out of the hotel’s parking lot.

"Yeah and you should've picked Niall! I'm sure he would've enjoyed it!"

"Not as much as that kiss," stated Harry, giving me a look. My face turned ten different shades of red.

"I don’t wanna talk about it,” I quickly said, looking away from him.

“Probably gave him a good stiff one,” he teased and I couldn’t take it, not right now.

“Enough dude, it’s not like I wanted to kiss him.”

“You didn’t have to kiss him,” he said.

“It was a dare and he was the only other single person. I had to or I would've had to kiss you," I defended, looking out the window. There was a bit of silence.

"It wouldn't have been the end of the world if you did," sighed Harry, turning around a corner.

I turned my head in his direction. He showed no sign of teasing or embarrassment at the statement he just made. He just looked forward, eyes on the road, leaning back in his seat with one hand draped on the wheel. Did he even have a clue what he was doing to me?

I sighed, "I'm sure Samantha would have _loved_ that. She seemed less than pleased with the whole motorboat thing but a kiss would have stepped over the line. I mean, we're friends, Harry. We've known each other since we were practically babies! I remember when you called me, freaking out 'cause you kissed that girl from middle school in the field behind your house." I laughed when I stated that last part. It was a hilarious phone call. A younger and inexperienced Harry called me one day raving about how he kissed a girl we both knew from older days. He said it was "pretty steamy" and all I said was "ew Harry that's gross" and hung up the phone. He called back saying he wasn't finished and I laughed hysterically.

"That was a pretty steamy kiss," he said smirking.

"Oh I'm sure," I agreed sarcastically.

“You would be if you kissed me.”

“Would you just drop it already?” I said, lightly hitting his arm, "Speaking of kissing, what was that back at the hotel?"

"What was what?"

"Why didn't you kiss Samantha? She was definitely going for it."

Harry quirked an eyebrow, "It's all in the chase, (Y/N). You gotta dangle what they want in front of them and then reel 'em in."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Are you kidding me? Is this Harry Styles, the man who has nothing but the utmost respect for women? The man who said 'loving women isn't a game?' The man who had to ask me what a tampon was? Are you serious?"

Harry narrowed his eyes back at me, "You said you would never tell anyone."

I gave him a look, "Do you see anyone else in the car?"

Harry leaned back, eyes still narrowed, "Touché."

"So you're not making a move on Samantha so she'll become sexually frustrated and basically throw herself at you when she can't take it anymore?"

"That's the plan," he said leaning his arm on the middle compartment.

"Harry, that's pretty low," I said, crossing my arms, "I'm kinda surprised you'd do something like that."

Harry shrugged, "I haven't had any in a while and she's pretty fit. And it’s not like she hasn’t done it to previous love interests. Plus, it gives me an excuse to come to the states."

That hit me like a bullet to the heart, "Ouch," I said rather quietly.

"What? Oh!" He exclaimed, "Oh (Y/N) no! No, no, no, I didn't mean it like that. I meant L.A., not the United States as a whole. It's just easier to say the states."

"It's fine, dude, no worries," I said, looking back out the window. Harry's big, warm, hand engulfed my own and pulled mine towards his side of the car. I turned and saw him looking at me. I then noticed we were at a red light when I saw a red glow against his features in the dark car.

"(Y/N), you know that if I had to choose, I would always pick you. You know that, right?"

My heart skipped a beat as I felt the fabric of Harry's lose shirt against his chest, where he was currently pressing my hand. I had to regain my composure.

"Yeah, bud," I breathed, "Thanks. It's good to know you've got my back. I appreciate it."

He smiled, those craters in his cheeks appearing, "Of course, if it was Mum or Gemma that'd be another story," he said as we chuckled agreeing on his statement. He let go of my hand and returned his attention to the road when the light turned green. We remained silent for a few minutes. I replayed what he said in my head over and over. Maybe Perrie was right? What if Harry did like me, as more than a friend? But how could I be sure? We always acted this way, sure we've matured since our days together in England, but we've stayed the same. We tell each other everything so if he did like me he would probably say it...right?

For the moment, I was content. It was 1:15 in the morning and Harry and I were alone together. We didn't need to say anything, just the two of us in the car with each other's presence was enough. After contemplating and inwardly giving myself a pep talk, I moved my hand and wrapped it around Harry's fingers on the clutch.

"Just so you know," I said trying my hardest to keep my voice steady, "You come first too. Always."

He smiled and squeezed my hand back, giving me a comforting smile, "You don't mean that," he teased.

"Oh but I do," I emphasized, playing along, "Hell, I would fly to England if you needed me to. I'd be there!"

We laughed as he continued, "Speaking of England…" he began rather awkwardly.

"What?" I asked, confused as to what he was getting at.

"You haven't been there in a while."

"No, not since I moved here," I continued, "so?"

"So how would you like to spend Christmas in England this year?"

...

What.

"Really?" I asked, not believing my ears.

"Yeah," said Harry, "Mum and Gemma have been bugging me constantly to get you to come visit, especially Mum. You know how she gets."

I laughed knowing exactly what he was talking about, "They'd be cool with me staying with them for Christmas?"

"And New Years," added Harry, "If it's okay with you?"

"Oh my God! Harry! That'd be awesome! I'd love to see everyone again! I'm so excited! _Oh my God!_ " I bounced in my seat like a toddler about to get ice cream. I couldn't believe it. Harry was inviting me back to England. For Christmas and New Year’s! "When would we leave?"

"The day after you get off of school," said Harry as he drove onto the street of our hotel.

"Harry, that's December 14th," I told him, unsure of what he was thinking.

"Yeah, the lads and I get done with promoting the new album and we get to go home the 14th. I figured we could fly back together and you could stay at my place," he said parking the car.

"That's a pretty long time," I said, hopping out of the car, "Are you sure you'd be okay with me staying that long?"

"Of course," he said gathering our stuff, moving through the door into the elevator, "it'll be like old times."

I smiled up at him, "Yeah! It'll be great to see everyone again! I should let them know I'm coming to visit!"

"Yeah, you should," he agreed, pushing the button for the seventh floor, "I'm glad you're coming. Now the plane ride will actually be comfortable."

I looked forward, my eyebrows furrowing a bit, “I’m not gonna be your human pillow.”

“Why not?” he asked, his own eyebrows furrowing, looking down at me. Oh my God, he was so cute.

I looked him in the eye, "Harry, it's an eight hour flight."

He looked down at me, "And?"

"It's not a car ride. I'm gonna need some space to myself."

"We’ll see about that," he said as the elevator doors opened and he strode out towards our room. I caught up with him and entered our room. I got dressed, Harry got undressed, and we got in our beds after a long day of fun in the sun. 

I smiled to myself as I laid in bed, facing away from Harry so he wouldn't see. I still couldn't believe Harry invited me to England for practically a month! I'm going to spend Christmas and New Years with him! I could barely contain my excitement. As soon as I woke up I would run to Perrie's room and tell her the news.

This was it. This was the chance I needed. When I arrived in England, I was going to find out if there was even the slightest possibility of Harry liking me, more than a best friend or a sisterly figure. Only two more weeks of school and then off on a plane to Europe, with the chance that my life could change forever.


	7. Chapter 7

Finally, after a fun week with Harry, Perrie, and the rest of the lads, it was time for me to return home and spend the rest of my Thanksgiving break with my family. I hugged the boys and received a kiss on the cheek from each.

Earlier in the week, the day after the beach, Louis pulled me into his room when Liam and Niall went to find something to eat. We were alone when he started questioning me.

“Why didn’t you kiss Harry?”

I gave him a look, remembering why I was put in that awkward situation in the first place, “You know exactly why I couldn’t kiss him, you ass!”

Louis raised his eyebrows at me, “Oh, I’m an ass?” He crossed his arms, “Does an ass set up a perfect opportunity for you to kiss the lad you want to marry?”

“I do not-“

“Shut up, yes you do,” he snapped. I shut up immediately. When Louis was mad, and right, there was no arguing with him. Eleanor was a lucky girl because he was going to be the perfect dad.

“Why are you getting so mad? Perrie was the one who told Zayn to dare me to kiss him,” I said, looking up at him.

“Who do you think gave Perrie the idea to tell Zayn to dare you to do that?” he asked.

“That’s a lot of people to tell…” I mumbled.

Louis groaned, “(Y/N), it was perfect! Why didn’t you go for it?”

I looked him in the eye, “I don’t want to kiss Harry on a dare, Louis. If I ever kiss Harry, I want it to be mutual and I want it to happen when the moment’s right…you know?”

Louis looked at me, like an understanding older brother, and sighed, “Yeah,” he said wrapping an arm around my shoulder, bringing me in for a hug, “Yeah, I do.”

Now that I was leaving, Louis gave me a goodbye kiss on the cheek, and whispered, “We’ll talk more in London.” I smiled at him and moved on to Perrie, giving her a tight squeezing hug.

“I’ll see you again soon,” she sang, giving me a wink. I beamed at her, my face unable to contain my excitement.

Harry offered to drive me to the airport. We drove together in silence, like we usually did when we knew we were going to part ways. I sat in the front seat, enjoying the view of L.A. one last time. These drives usually had me fighting back tears but because Harry had invited me to stay with him and his family in England for the holidays, the only tears I would be shedding would be tears of joy.

While in England, I was going to find out if there was a chance that Harry had feelings for me. If he didn’t, I would give up on him…though that would be a very long process. Harry was the only boy I had ever really loved. Sure, I’ve had crushes but this was something else entirely. During this trip, I would keep track of any signs of romantic affection and when the time was right I would confront him about it. If there was a chance, I was definitely going to take it. There was only one problem.

How was I going to do this while he was getting cozy with Samantha?

Seeing that she would be in America while we were in Britain, I wouldn’t have to worry about that.

Perrie and Louis were thrilled after I explained my plan. Louis was 100% on board and Perrie was too excited to utter coherent words. With their help, this plan would be fool proof! 

We soon arrived at the airport and instead of going in through the front, we got a celebrity welcome by being escorted into a gated part where we could comfortably unload the car and say goodbye. We both got out of the car and he grabbed my duffle bag out of the back for me. Finally, he turned to me, arms open wide.

“Well, kid, it’s been real,” he said, enveloping me in a hug.

“Kid? I’m five months older than you,” I scoffed into his flannel shirt.

“Four months and a week,” he corrected. I could feel his deep voice vibrate in his chest as he held me close, “Don’t push your luck.”

“Yes, but I’m still older,” I said, moving my cheek to rest on his chest so that I wouldn’t swoon too much from his musk. His cologne always had a way of making me dizzy, “I win.”

“Mmm,” he hummed, resting his cheek against the top of my head, indicating my small victory. He rocked us back and forth a bit, the way he always did when we hugged.

“I’m so excited,” I said, pulling away from the hug, “I can’t wait to go to England again! It’s been so long…I just hope I can convince mom and dad to let me go. My sisters are gonna go crazy,” I laughed.

“They’ll let you come,” he reassured me, “You’ll be safe with family-friends, and your parents love me.”

I gave him a look, “Just ‘cause you’ve got my mom wrapped around your finger doesn’t mean my dad will trust the fact that I’ll be staying with a boy, even if he we did grow up together.”

He smirked, “Your dad trusts me. I don’t apply to your house rules, remember?” He bent his head down in front of mine and put his hand on my head, “We sat in your room and your dad yelled, ‘(Y/N), is that a boy in your room?’ and when you said it was me he didn’t give a damn.”

I shrugged, “He sees you as a girl. I mean with your curls and the way you swivel your hips when you walk-“

“Okay, okay,” he said interrupting me. He looked into my eyes and smiled, my favorite dimples on planet earth creating craters near his lips…those perfect dark pink lips…

He kissed my cheek and gave me one last hug, “I’ll see you soon. Let me know when you get home.”

“Okay,” I said, picking up my duffle bag and walking toward the airport with a guide who would lead me to check in. I turned back to look at Harry one last time before going in. He waved at me from across the parking lot. I waved back, walking through the doors. I boarded the plane and flew home. I spent the rest of my break with my family, seeing some close friends as well. I was ready to go back to school because the sooner I went back to school, the sooner I would be on my way to England with Harry.

The next two weeks couldn’t fly fast enough. The days leading up to finals week was a blur. While everyone was complaining about studying and how unfair their professors were, I was in dream land. I imagined celebrating Christmas with Harry and his family. We would all exchange gifts and reminisce about days when we were children. Then, after a night of fun memories, I would look up to see mistletoe and Harry would smile, lean in, and…

“(Y/N)!”

“Huh? What?” I was jostled out of my thoughts when I noticed about sixty eyes were on me. We were in the middle of a chapter meeting at my sorority house and it was my turn to speak.

“Oh! Sorry! Um,” I tried to gather what I needed to say as quickly as possible without completely embarrassing myself. This wasn’t the only time I daydreamed about Harry. In my psychology class, I imagined Harry kissing me at midnight while welcoming the New Year. I was rudely awakened by my elderly professor’s harsh words to ‘pay attention!’

Luckily, my constant wandering into dreamland didn’t hinder my studies…too much. Focusing was a problem, but I understood most of what I learned all semester, so finals were easier than expected. After I turned in my last final, it was time to go home! I threw everything I could possibly need into my car and raced two hours home so I could catch up with my family, spend the night, say my goodbyes, and be off to the airport to meet up with Harry and the rest of the lads.

“I still can’t believe you’re going back to England to spend your whole break with Harry and his family,” said my dad as we talked on the way to the airport, “It was nice of his family to let you stay with them.”

“I know, right?” I said, on cloud nine, “I’m so excited! I can’t wait to see everyone again. I’ll tell them you said hi. Mom told me thousands of things to tell Mrs. Styles and lord knows I won’t have enough time to tell them all.”

“Promise me you’ll be safe,” he said, “Since Harry’s a huge celebrity, you never know what could happen. Not just to him but to you. I’ve seen some of the threats on the internet to some girls he becomes close to and I’m worried about you, (Y/N).”

“Dad, I’ve been getting threats since Harry joined the X-Factor. Don’t worry, the paparazzi in England are nowhere near as bad as they are in America. They’re actually pretty friendly,” I informed, “And I’ll be with close friends and body guards when I’m out. I’ll email you every day and let you know how things are going and keep you informed of my well-being.”

My dad smiled at me and placed his hand on mine, “You’re going to have so much fun. I’m jealous. I’m really gonna miss you, (Y/N).”

I smiled at him, fighting back tears, “I’m really gonna miss you too, dad.”

We arrived at the airport and my dad parked the car, walking me inside. We met up with Paul, my dad was taller but just as built as he was which made me chuckle. He led us to the back room where the boys waited for their lay over. I was greeted by Louis, who looked tired beyond belief.

“Whoa,” I said, setting down my bags, “You look exhausted.” 

“That’s what we get for partying all night and getting on a flight in the wee hours of the morning to avoid the paps,” said Louis, kissing my cheek and hugging me, “How’ve you been, love?”

I hugged back, “Finals week was a bitch. How ‘bout you?”

“The usual,” he sighed, “but now that you’re here, the fun can begin.”

My eyes widened. I didn’t know what he was thinking but I know I wasn’t going to be prepared for it.

“Where’s the rest of One Direction?” I asked, changing the subject.

Right on cue, Niall and Liam came walking back from the bathroom, “Hey! (Y/N)!” greeted Niall as he kissed me on the cheek and hugged me, almost throwing us back and forth. I laughed but then remembered I kissed this boy and started blushing. He didn’t notice, thank goodness, and I greeted Liam. We hugged, a kiss on the cheek, and then he turned to Louis.

“Lou, is that the new security? I thought we weren’t going to meet him until London.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Louis. Noticing where Liam was pointing I laughed.

“No, Liam, that’s my dad.”

Niall, Liam, and Louis looked at me with wide eyes.

“That’s your _dad!?_ ” asked Niall, shocked.

“Yeah,” I said smiling, I loved when this happened.

“You guys look nothing alike,” said Liam disbelieving, “I never would have guessed.”

While Niall and Liam stared at my dad, Louis continued our conversation.

“Go wake up Harry,” Louis said, ushering me to the couch in the next room, “He was being really cranky, so he and Zayn are sleeping in there.”

I peeked through the door and saw Harry, the boy who I had fantasized about for the past two weeks, sleeping like an angel on one of the couches, while Zayn slept on the other. I approached Harry and stared at his sleeping form. His face was so peaceful, eyebrows furrowed yet the rest of his face was at rest. His face looked so smooth, like marble. His chest slowly rose and lowered in steady breaths. I wondered what he was dreaming about. I gently put my hand on his shoulder, “Harry,” I whispered, so I wouldn’t startle him. He stirred a little, but didn’t wake, and moved his face to rest against my knees that were against the couch. He nuzzled into my thighs.

“Harry, wake up,” I said, touching his curls, because if I moved back Harry would fall off the couch.

“Mmm,” he moaned, wrapping his arms around my legs. Oh dear.

“Harry, come on,” I quietly pleaded, “I gotta say bye to my dad.”

Harry’s eyebrows furrowed and he slowly opened his eyes. Those emerald eyes sleepily looked up and realized I was his substitute teddy bear. I smiled at him like he was a child waking up from his nap. In a way, he was. He let go of my legs, apologizing.

“I thought you were Louis,” he grogged, sitting up.

I shushed him, “You’ll wake Zayn.”

Harry looked at the still sleeping boy on the other couch. He ran a hand through his hair and got up, “When’d you get here?”

“Just now,” I informed. I opened my arms for a hug. He leaned and landed into me, apparently too tired to give a proper hug, and I barely caught him, “Oof! Jesus, Harry.”

“Sorry,” he said, eyes closed, chin resting on my shoulders. The hug was an awkward one because I was a good seven inches shorter than Harry. I caught his around his rib cage and his curls tickled my nose. He smelled really good. Although I was thoroughly enjoying the closeness, he was really heavy.

“Did your dad drop you off?” he mumbled over my shoulder.

“Yeah, I have to say goodbye,” I said, patting his back.

He paused for a moment and then stood upright, “He’s here?”

I tried not to laugh, “Yeah.”

Harry immediately sobered up from his sleep. He fixed his wrinkled clothes and tried his best to tame his mop of hair. I left the room to go say goodbye to my dad and he followed shortly after.

There was a reason why Harry was nervous. Let me explain.

My parents were abnormal. At fifty, they had the physique of Greek gods. My dad was huge, his muscles bulged. It was embarrassing going out with him sometimes. I love my father but when he’s not embarrassing me with jokes and teasing, his itching to fight someone. Being a black belt and a brawling enthusiast, he loved the thought of getting into a heated confrontation with any man he deemed worthy. Not only that, but women found him to be very attractive and he would shamelessly use it to his advantage. He was devoted to my mother but that didn’t mean he couldn’t use his charm to get something free once in a while. My father was also 100% American. The only reason we moved out of the country was for his work.

Then there was my mother. She was insane. No, she wasn’t crazy, she was just unnaturally healthy. Her family bore Olympians and she could play any sport, like a natural. She was so tiny, barely any fat on her, and had beautiful hazel eyes. When we were young, everyone said my sister looked like her but as we grew up, more and more people began to say I looked like her more every day. I took pride in that. Now being an adult, my mother and I would have been twins, just with different hair and eye color. I was the only one in the family who took after my mom. Her genetics meant that when you were a kid, you would be chubby, but the older you got, the skinner and more fit you got, which made me feel better during my high school years. My mom loved nutrition. She was in her fifties and she could still do a backflip in the backyard and off the diving board. I could backflip as well, but at fifty? Really?

Being close friends, Harry knew what my father was like, and although he was liked more than most boys in my life, he was still wary of my father. When he walked into the other room, he walked toward my father, giving him a firm handshake. I noticed when he was around my dad, Harry would change. He would try to act as manly as possible, trying to make it unnoticeable and natural. My dad and I have laughed about this so many times but neither of us had the heart to tell him we knew. That, and I made my dad promise not to break his illusion of manliness.

“Harry! How’s it goin’ buddy?” asked my dad, giving Harry a pat on the back.

“Mr. (Y/L/N). Flying’s a pain in the arse, like always,” he said, indicating how tired he was.

“I hear ya,” my dad said chuckling.

I watched the two of them catch up, while talking to Paul as well. My dad loved talking to Paul because of the obvious manliness between the two of them. I started to imagine Harry and my dad talking about the future, specifically our wedding, and I quickly came back to reality.

“Keep it together,” I told myself.

“Alright, (Y/N), I’m headin’ out,” he said engulfing me in a burly hug, “I’ll miss you.” I loved hugging my dad. Who doesn’t?

“I’ll miss you too dad,” I said squeezing back, “I’ll let you know when we get there.”

“Okay,” he said, giving me one last smile before leaving. I sighed, trying not to tear up, because I was very sentimental when it came to saying goodbye. Gathering myself up, I returned to the group and initiated conversation.

“So whatcha talk about?” I asked Harry, who returned to a couch in the room, giving Zayn some private sleeping time.

“The usual. He talked about his cars, I talked about our tour. Then,” he said taking my hand, “he reminded me of how precious his tiniest daughter was and made me scared beyond belief, even with all the security we have.” I laughed and apologized. “It’s all good, (Y/N), I’d never let anything happen to you. I know he means well. He’s family.”

My cheeks felt a little pink when he held my hand and reassured that he would watch out for me. Louis, who was sitting next to Harry, nudged him in the side, “Look at you, Casanova.”

Harry let go of my hand and he and I both gave Louis a wide eyed look. Mine was screaming, _‘what are you doing!?’_ but Harry laughed it off.

Suddenly, a security guard came into the room and told us it was time to board. Liam went to wake up Zayn while the rest of us gathered our things. We boarded the plane, and found our seats in first class. I sat next to the window and Harry sat next to me. This was awesome! The seats were so comfy and they were spread out with so much leg room. I tested out the recliner and found it very satisfactory. When I returned the seat to normal, I caught Harry giving me a smirk.

“What?”

“You’re so excited, it’s adorable,” he mocked and I squinted at him.

“ _Excuse me_ , sir, but I’ve never flown first class. Sorry I’ve never lived the high life like you.”

Harry chuckled and turned to talk to Louis, who was across the aisle from us. As everyone else started to board it was hilarious seeing all the people who recognized them. Harry took a picture with a little girl and I noticed older girls who tried to hide their excitement, and their phones, while snapping pictures of them. There was one girl who gasped so loud it almost sounded like a scream. Luckily, the staff on the flight were very efficient and moved onlookers along past the group.

“Are we going to make a lot of friends on this flight?” I asked. Harry shrugged and we looked forward to see Paul look over the chair in front of us.

“Don’t worry,” he said, “They’re going to close it off so only staff can come through.”

The flight took off and we got comfy for the eight hours ahead. A blonde stewardess came by and asked us if we needed anything. Oh great. An attractive, blonde, and mature woman. Kill me.

“Nothing right now, thank you,” said Harry, smiling up at her. She smiled back and I could tell she was happy to be serving young handsome men, especially one with dimples. Ugh.

“And you, miss?”

“I’m good, thanks,” I said, giving her a smile. She didn’t deserve my negative thoughts just because I was being paranoid. I knew the stigma of Harry liking older women was untrue but I knew how Harry was around women who he thought was attractive. I opened my magazine and began to read, trying to take my mind off of things.

“You alright?” asked Harry.

“I’m fine,” I said quickly looking at him, then returning to my magazine. Two of his fingers walked onto the page I was reading and began dancing. I smiled, trying not to, and turned to him.

“What’s up, buttercup?”

“I’m just a little tired, that’s all.” He narrowed his eyes, “What?”

“I know something’s up, (Y/N), why do you try to hide it? I can always tell when something’s up.”

I gave him a genuine smile, “I’m fine, dude, really. I do regret not getting something to drink though. When she comes back around, put on the charm and get me a sprite will ya?”

He furrowed his eyebrows at me, “Sorry, she’s not my type,” he faced forward, “you’ll have to get your own drinks.”

That was a surprise, “Really? She’s not?”

“Nope,” he simply said, shrugging.

“Oh, so what? You’re into brunettes now?” I said, sarcastically. “Yep.” He was staring right at me now. He took a piece of my hair and twirled it around his long index finger. He knew I got nervous when men flirted with me and he thought he was no exception. He most certainly was the worst but I kept my cool.

“Sorry, not in the mood for herpes,” I said, unamused.

Harry feigned being hurt and turned to Louis, “Did you hear what she just said?”

“I did,” said Louis, with Niall laughing next to him, “And I must say, she is spot on.”

We all laughed as Harry flipped them off.

The plane took off and after an hour of playing Harry in numerous games on our phones and notebook, his sleepiness crept up on him once again.

“I’m exhausted,” he yawned, leaning back in his seat.

“Already?” I asked, turning my attention from the small screen on the seat in front of me to my sleepy friend.

“Mhmm,” he mumbled. He looked at me, waiting for permission.

I sighed, “Fine.” Before I could even finish, he lifted up the arm rest separating our seats and linked his arm with mine. He rested his head on my shoulder and his hair brushed against my neck and cheek. His hair was so soft, unnaturally soft, and it smelled like apples. Are you kidding me? His cheek was warm and squishy against my shoulder. After about ten minutes, his breathing became even and he fell asleep. I looked over Harry and saw Louis giving me a smirk and wiggling his eyebrows. I smiled at him but was drawn from him to my hand. I felt a light tickle and looked down to see Harry’s hand almost covering mine. Compared to mine, his hands were like an adult’s to a child.

After the movie ended on my screen, I felt tired as well so I rested my head on the comfy and soft curls that became my pillow. It felt right, being with Harry like this. No worries in the world, just the two of us together. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

 

 

When I woke, my head was still rested against Harry’s and I was really warm on my right side where we were connected. Harry was still in a deep sleep, so I didn’t move to wake him. I looked down and saw that our hands were intertwined loosely. I didn’t move my hand because it could wake him, and to be honest, I didn’t want to. Thinking it was rather suspicious, I looked over at Louis who was grinning at me, his smile too wide for comfort.

A lot can happen in two hours.

Louis took out his cell phone and showed me all the pictures he took while we slept. In the beginning, they were harmless, just the two of us kind of snuggled together. Then Louis and Niall somehow got in them without waking us. Niall was sticking his finger up Harry’s nose and Louis used my hair to make a mustache, making funny faces. After that, Louis moved my hand but apparently woke Harry while he was doing it. Looking unbelievably tired, he just looked at the camera, then went back to sleep, this time knotting our fingers together so he could keep me in place as his pillow.

Then, Louis brought out the markers. Luckily, they weren’t sharpies, but Harry had drawings all over his face. I saw that I had some on my face as well, but not as much, or as inappropriate, as Harry’s. Liam and Zayn got in the harassment at this point, because Zayn was the one who drew the very detailed phallus on Harry’s cheek. He then drew little flowers on my face. How I didn’t wake up still eludes me to this day.

After seeing the numerous pictures on his phone, I gave him a look that could kill. He giggled with Niall as I mouthed, “Just wait,” declaring my impending vengeance. When Niall turned away, I sent Louis a text that said _Send me all of them_ which caused Louis to smirk at me.

I decided to check my phone before going back to sleep. I went on twitter, which was a very bad decision. I had so many notifications and I didn’t know where to start. I went to the bottom of the feed and saw that Louis tweeted and tagged me.

No.

He didn’t.

I touched it and saw the tweet. It read _Adorable :) x_ and below was the picture of Harry and I, before the markers, sound asleep together. Thousands of fans retweeted, liked, and replied to his tweet and then messaged and tagged me because of it. I turned and threw my empty cup at Louis. Hitting his head, he looked at me and mouthed “What?”

Our silent argument began as I mouthed, “What the hell, Louis!?” showing him my twitter page on my phone. Louis retaliated by mouthing, “You love it!” I gave him a wide eyed and angry look. Knowing I was going to start yelling, I decided to text him so I wouldn’t wake the boy leaning on me.

_Why would you put that on twitter!?_

He responded, _**‘Cause I felt like it. ;)** _

_That’s not cool Louis! Do you realize the crap I’m gonna get from this??_

Better get used to it if you’re little plan’s gonna work

I looked up at him and he shrugged his shoulders.

_Regardless, dick move, Tomlinson._

_**You’ll thank me one day.** _

_If my plan does work, and we get married, you have officially lost the position of best man._

Louis feigned hurt, **_You’re not serious._ **

**_Dead serious. Good day, Mr. Tomlinson._ **

I saw him type a response but before he could send it I sent, _I SAID GOOD DAY._

Being friends with these boys was exhausting. This month was definitely going to be an experience. Suddenly, I felt Harry stir next to me. He shifted a bit, then rubbed his cheek on my shoulder and snuggled his head closer into my neck. Letting out a breath, he fell back into his comfortable sleep. Unable to help myself, I smiled and rested my head back on top of his.

Another hour later, Harry woke, needing to stretch. He looked at my face and laughed at the markings. I smiled back as he went to the bathroom. I looked over at Louis who gave me the same knowing look. Finally, Harry came back, his cheek red where the penis was, and gave us both a look of disapproval, making us both laugh out loud. He shook head and sat back down in his seat. Louis couldn’t stop laughing, making Harry angry and lash out at him smacking his arm.

Harry pulled out his phone and while he browsed some games, he received all the alerts about the tweet. After reading the gist of it, and seeing the photo, he turned to me, showing me his phone.

“Did you see this?”

I looked up and nodded, showing I wasn’t too concerned about it.

“I’ll tweet something about being like family or something,” mumbled Harry, opening up a new post box. Without thinking, I put my hand over his on the phone. He looked at me in confusion.

“It’s fine,” I said, trying to keep calm. It really was. I was ready to take all the crap that would come my way. If it meant being with Harry, you better believe I was ready to take it all.

Harry pursed his lips, “You’re gonna get a lot of hate for this,” he said, referring to the picture, “You know that, right?”

I shrugged, “I’m alright if you’re alright with it,” I said looking him in the eye. He smiled at me and my heart fluttered like a butterfly.

“How cute,” said Louis, head on chin, eavesdropping on our conversation. Harry flipped him off and I stuck my tongue out at him.

“I’m going back to sleep,” said Harry, assuming the position into my side.

“Hey, Harry, is it okay if you lay off for a bit? I’m kinda sore,” I said. Harry’s eyebrows furrowed in frustration, “Oh, come on, I let you use my shoulder for 2 hours now.”

“What’s up, Haz?” asked Niall, chirping into the conversation.

“Harry’s being an arse and abusing (Y/N)’s shoulder,” explained Louis.

“It’s not my fault she’s so damn comfy,” he said to them, “She’s still got baby fat so why not use it?”

I smacked him in the back of the head, “Try sleeping on me again. I dare you.”

“Is she really that comfy?” asked Liam, who sat next to Niall on the other side.

“(Y/N), come over here and let us test out those shoulders,” suggested Niall. I gladly got up and moved over to the three seats in between the two aisles of the plane. Louis moved to my old seat and Niall moved over, allowing me to sit in between himself and Liam. Once seated, the two boys got comfy on either side of me and used my shoulders for support.

“You are comfy,” said Niall on my right.

“This is nice,” stated Liam on my left.

I laid back against the seat pillow and closed my eyes, trying to get some sleep. Making it into a game, every hour on the flight, the boys would switch seats and use me as a pillow for a nap. I fell asleep two of those hours and woke up squished between Louis’ and Liam’s heads.

During the final hour of the flight, I went back to my seat and sighed, exhausted from being used for comfort. Harry opened an eye.

“I knew you’d be back,” he said. I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah, okay,” I said, leaning my head against the side of the plane near the window. It was very uncomfortable. I felt long fingers wrap around the side of my head and I was moved from the window to his shoulder.

“Get some sleep. We’ll be there soon,” I felt Harry’s voice vibrate.

I hummed an okay and fell asleep after Harry rested his head on mine.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I just wanted to share that I am now a co-owner of this wonderful tumblr blog: http://1dboysimagines.tumblr.com/ Millie, Marissa, and I write imagines, oneshots, and we also ship people with the boys. Come check it out and leave a message!
> 
> Also, my personal tumblr can be found here: http://spring1924.tumblr.com/
> 
> Thanks for reading!

When we arrived in London it was in the morning. Being seven hours ahead of where we departed, jet lag hit us harder than we anticipated, me especially. We exited the plane and held our carry ons. What happened next took me by surprise.

The airport was filled with fans. Because it was a public plane, and not a private one like usual, it was leaked when and where the boys would be landing and the fans were waiting. Ear piercing screams sounded from the exit. Before we even reached the doorway, I cringed at how loud they were. The boys weren't even out yet! Paul began to signal and yell out formations for security to take to protect the boys. Harry's expression changed from lazy to alert as he firmly took me by the shoulders, making me look at him.

"(Y/N), it's very important that you listen. You need to stay with me, okay? As much as the fans love us, some can get a bit crazy at times. Even though we have security, you need to stay alert and don't let go of my hand. Do you understand?"

Not breaking eye contact, I nodded. Now I was scared. Harry continued to stay very serious as he took my hand in his, "I'm gonna try and say hi to some fans but we'll make this as quick as possible, yeah?" I nodded again, unable to find my voice. He squeezed my hand, "Don't be scared, (Y/N), I'm not going to let you out of my sight."

Harry looked so big. He seemed mature and older in situations like these. I was the older one but when Harry stood tall with a firm expression on his face, he transformed into a man. His broad shoulders straightened and he towered over me. When he became like this, it made me question which side of Harry was real or not, due to the drastic change.

Paul gave the okay and we all moved as a unit. We walked through the doors and I had never heard such a loud and immediate change in volume. Girls of all ages were screaming, shouting, and waving at us. My adrenaline shot up as we walked through the crowd. The boys moved through everyone, stopping here and there for photos and signings, but moving quickly toward the exit. Near the end, the crowd became thicker and the fans were becoming erratic. Harry pulled me along the entire way, keeping me close to him in the plethora of young girls. Harry stopped only for a moment to move out of the way of a fan, when I was suddenly yanked away from him. I felt his hand violently reclaim its hold on mine but it slipped through his fingers when my hair was pulled, making me fall backwards. My nerves screamed at me due to the shock. My head hurt but soon the pain disappeared when I saw I was getting swallowed by the crowd, away from Harry.

"Harry!"

I heard Harry yelling my name and saw him clawing through the crowd, hand outstretched. Before I hit the floor, Paddy caught me under my arms and lifted me clear off the ground. He brought me to my feet and ushered me after the boys. Harry was fighting to get back to me and was practically being shoved by Paul towards the exit where the cars were waiting for us. Once we were outside, camera flashes blinded me and everything became a blur. I was led forward by Paddy’s strong hands and I felt the comfortable safety of the car roof over my head. Before I fell into the seat, a pair of strong arms caught and cradled me. I let out a gasp, my adrenaline spiking again.

"It's okay, (Y/N). You're okay."

Feeling Harry's arms securing me, I began to sob. I was shaking due to the adrenaline build up and I was coming down from the high of excitement. It was terrifying. Niall piled into our car while Zayn, Louis, and Liam went into the other. After getting the okay from Paul, Paddy climbed into our car and told the driver to go. We began to drive off and Harry put a hand on Niall's shoulder while still holding me, "You alright, Niall?"

Niall had a hard time in crowds. He was claustrophobic and hated these kinds of situations. I wasn't even remotely claustrophobic and I was a wreck. How he was able to go through this time after time was beyond me.

He sighed, taking deep breaths to calm himself, "Yeah...yeah, I'm good...I'm good I just...need a quick breather."

Harry let go of Niall and returned to me, and began to rub my back, "I'm sorry, (Y/N)."

Sniffling, I tried to regain my composer and looked at him with tears in my eyes, "That was insane. Harry that was pure madness! What even happened? You were there one second and then I was yanked backwards and-"

"I know, I know, (Y/N)," he cooed, bringing me back into him. I could feel my tears absorb into his soft and worn flannel shirt as I silently cried, shaking slightly, "That was a bit crazy but it's over now. Nothing's gonna happen to you. I promised I'd keep you safe and I will. Just breathe now. Relax."

After a short cry and a few deep breaths I pulled out of Harry's hug. He looked at me and I could tell he was trying not to laugh. I sighed, "My mascara?" He nodded as he grabbed a tissue from the side of the car and gave it to me. I wiped my face and blew my nose, "Tell me I'm pretty," I joked.

Harry and Niall laughed, "You're soooo beautiful," he responded.

I laughed and noticed I stained Harry's shirt where my face was previously buried, "Oh, jeez, I'm sorry," I said wiping over the drops of blackened tears. "Its fine," he assured, "you can barely see it."

I looked back at his face and was caught in what turned into a staring contest. His gorgeous green eyes were staring right through me. He saw how scared and vulnerable I was right now. He was my rock, not just now, but it seemed like whenever something went wrong and I didn't think I could make it or fight back, Harry was always there to catch me or back me up. He wasn't always there physically, but I knew if I truly needed him, he'd find a way to get to me. After what seemed like an eternity of staring, he examined me, "You didn’t get hurt, did you?"

"No, no I'm good," I said still a bit caught in the daydream of Harry's flawless face. His rose red lips pursed as he looked me over, his eyes darting back to mine every now and then. I was abruptly brought back down to earth by a bruising pain on the back of my head where Harry's hand was currently slipping its fingers on. Like he touched an open flame, he drew back his hand, "Sorry, sorry! Are you alright? Let me see."

Wincing, I bent my head over, getting a nice view of Harry's crotch, while he gently examined my head. "Ooo," he grimaced, "(Y/N), you've got a nasty bruise on your scalp."

Completely forgetting about the pain from earlier, I raised my head and turned to Paddy who was handing Niall a water bottle and some snacks to help calm him down, "I felt a pull on my head but I can't remember feeling any real pain."

"I saw everything," chirped Paddy, "A girl went to grab at Harry but she couldn't reach and grabbed you instead. She fell, and she tried to catch herself and grabbed your head, pulling you down with her. I was able to catch you before you hit the ground."

"My God," I winced as I touched the sore spot where she ripped my hair, "Did she look like she worked out? I mean, damn, that's gonna be tender. Thanks for saving me back there, Paddy, I owe you one."

“It’s my job,” said Paddy giving me a smile. Niall turned around to face us in the back, "Did you guys see Liam's shirt? It was almost ripped off of him! It's usually not that bad, (Y/N), we normally go in the back where there's no crowds and our security is top notch." He reached over the seat and patted his hand on mine, "You're okay, though, besides the head?"

I looked down at his hand on mine. I felt his calloused fingers, from playing guitar so often, wrap and squeeze around my smaller ones. I suddenly had a flashback to the campfire, the warmth of the light, and his lips against mine. I tensed, blushing a bit, "Yeah, I'm fine, thanks Niall," I said trying my best to act natural. What was wrong with me? It was only a kiss, and a dared one at that. Harry then spoke, snapping me back to attention.

"You should get some rest," he said, buckling his seat belt, "We've got a bit until we get home." I agreed and laid back, gently, so my head wouldn't hurt, and settled into the seat, "I'll wake you when we get there."

"Ok," I mumbled falling into the comforting embrace of sleep. After the jet lag and excitement of the airport, rest was more than welcome. It wasn't long when Harry woke me to say goodbye to Niall. We arrived at the point where we were all to go our separate ways. We all said our farewells to one another, promising we would see each other again soon.

"(Y/N), you have to come visit soon," said Zayn, giving me a friendly hug, "Perrie’s been going crazy and wants to steal you for the weekend."

"That sounds amazing. I'd love to, if you're okay with it."

"No, you’re not welcome in my home. I never want to see you again," he said sarcastically, making us both laugh.

Louis gave me a big hug and whispered in my ear, "Text me everything when you can." I nodded and squeezed back.

We each took our own respective taxis to get us to our destinations. Harry and I were on our way to Cheshire to stay with his family. Excitement bubbled in my stomach and I couldn't sit still. Seeing everyone again was going to be fantastic.

About twenty minutes later, we arrived at our destination...which was weird because Cheshire was approximately 3 hours from London.

"Why did we stop?" I asked, looking out the front window.

"'Cause we're here," said Harry as he got out of the car.

What?

"What do you mean we're here? Where's here?" I inquired, taking my things from the driver.

"Here," said Harry pointing up to an old building draped in vines, dead due to the winter season. It was very old, but had so much character. It was breathtaking, like it belonged in a photograph, but looked much too worn down to be suitable living quarters. I looked at our surroundings and saw no apartments or houses. This “house” was surrounded by storage houses next to the river.

I gave him an unsure look, "Harry, I know you're homeless, but this isn’t what I’d call a suitable...home." He gave me a look back.

"Come on inside. I'll show you," he said, grabbing a pair of keys from his bag. He unlocked the door and there was an old rickety staircase. It looked like an abandoned mill or farm of some kind. It smelled like wood after a rain and it was damp, a few drops fell from the old boarded roof. On a sunny day, it would have been an enjoyable place to admire but I began to feel anxious, thinking I would be sleeping in these conditions. My fears only heightened when we climbed the stairs. They moaned and ached with each step. This wasn't safe. What was Harry thinking living here? Scratch that. Harry was an idiot, of course he’d live here.

When we reached the top, I was surprised to see a decent looking and semi new wooden door. Harry unlocked both the pad lock and the doorknob and opened the door. To this day Harry says he wished he had a camera for the look on my face when I saw what was past that door.

It was a beautiful apartment. It was clean and homely and warm. There was a decent sized kitchen with an oven, dish washer, and fridge. Across from the kitchen was the living room with a full couch, love seat, nice sized television, and a .table for refreshments. The tile on the floor was cold against my feet when I took off my shoes. I set down my bags and looked up to see a beautiful blown up photo of Harry and the boys. They were all in suits, proper fitting and dashing. My eyes met with Harry’s in the picture, just as green as ever. This had to be my absolute favorite picture of them.

“You like that picture?” asked Harry, moving around the apartment.

“Yeah, I do. Where’d you guys take this?” I asked as he approached me.

“It was right before we were going to do a photo shoot for GQ. I wanted a picture for myself, so I asked the lads to take a nice photo. Luckily, they all agreed. We each have one of these at our places,” he said standing next to me. I looked it over once more and noticed how chiseled Niall’s jawline was. 

“Niall looks good in this pic,” I muttered, pointing to him. After a few moments, Harry spoke.

“Yeah, I thought so too,” said Harry. Another few moments passed when he grabbed my hand, “Come here, I wanna show you something cool.”

He led me through the hallway of his apartment, which was a lot longer than I thought. We passed a lot of closed doors until we reached the end. There were two doors on the left and right. Harry opened the left door and gestured for me to enter. I walked in and my mouth dropped. It was Harry’s bedroom. There was a gorgeous king sized bed, with a mahogany headboard and cream colored sheets and comforter. The matching cream colored carpet was soft against my feet as I moved around the room. There was a matching mahogany dresser with pictures of Harry’s mom, sister, and step-dad. There was one of him and his father. I had met him on occasion when we were younger but I didn’t know him that well. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw a pair of familiar eyes staring at me. 

It was a picture of Harry and I at my tenth birthday party. We were seated, with cake in our hands, and all over our faces, because we decided that instead of eating it, throwing it at each other was a better idea. I remember when Harry’s mom took the picture. My mother was so mad at me. She worked so hard on the cake and Harry and I demolished it in less than a second. I smiled and noticed another picture, in a similar frame, across the room, on a bookshelf. I moved across the room and looked at his collection of books. The usual classic books you would usually find on a decorative bookshelf. In between were some popular books, released within recent years. Of course, Harry Potter was there, all seven books. At the corner was the picture of me and Harry, when we were first reunited, after our years apart. We both looked so young, especially Harry. He still had pasty skin, and his hair was thicker looking then, all over the place instead of up in a wrap or quiff. I smiled knowing he put these here himself. He did think of me when we were apart. He did care.

What I loved most about his room was his ceiling. It was glass. The sun was covered by rain clouds but it was absolutely amazing. This room was 100% Harry, minus the mess and posters he usually would have.

“You like it?” he asked from the doorway.

I turned to him, “Harry, this room is amazing. This whole apartment is amazing. How did you get this place?”

“I had it built,” he said, plopping down on his bed.

“But what about the other place back in London?” I asked, “The one everyone’s going on about?”

“Decoys, (Y/N). I love it here. I have no neighbors and no paps to bother me. Only you, the lads, my family, Paul, and a few close friends know about this place.”

“Harry Styles, look at you,” I said looking back up at the sky, “I love this ceiling. It must look amazing at night.”

“It really does,” he said getting up, “We’re not done yet. Come on, I want to show you something.”

We exited the room and went through the right door this time. We climbed a set of stairs in a narrow hallway. Harry opened the door and I was blinded by the daylight. We stepped out onto the roof and was greeted by a fantastic view of the river and in the distance, the city of London.

“Oh my gosh,” I breathed. It was beautiful. 

Harry opened his arms, “So?”

My shoulders fell, “I gotta hand it to you, Harry. This place is off the hook.”

Harry smiled and picked up a golf club, “The perks of being an international pop star,” he said putting a golf ball on the tee. He lined up and swung, a pretty good hit. The ball flew and fell into the water.

“No one notices you golfing up here?”

“No one to notice,” he said getting a few more balls and putting them in his pocket. He put another down and swung again. Another good hit.

“Are golf balls expensive?”

Harry shrugged, “Not really.” Swing. Bloop.

We stayed up on the roof for a while. Harry golfed off the roof and I sat there, enjoying the view. The city of London across the water was nice to look at too.

“Like what you see?” he asked.

I shrugged, “I’ve never golfed so I was just noticing how you swing.”

Harry put a hand on his hip, “Wanna learn?”

“No,” I said, not wanting him to stop. I liked watching his body turn, his coat making his shirt lift up in just the right places, his v-line peeking out.

“Come on,” he said, basically lifting me up, “You’re learning.”

I stood and he gave me the club, “It’s going to be a bit heavy because it’s mine but it’ll do for now. Put your foot here.” He pointed with his foot to where I should put mine. I listened as he helped me get in position. “Okay now stand like this,” he said behind me, “don’t bend your arms.” I felt his hands on my elbows and his breath near my ear. My nerves were going into overdrive. I could feel my heart pound in my hands as I held the club. “Ease up on the club,” he said, ghosting his hands over mine. I loosened my grip a bit and reminded myself to calm down. I swear it was like he was doing this on purpose. “Good, now align yourself,” he said, putting his hands on my shoulders and nudging my feet with his, “Grip the club like a bat, there you go.” I prayed my face wasn’t getting too red. 

“Alright, you ready for the swing?” he asked. I nodded, not trusting my voice. After he told me the appropriate technique, I wound up and swung. I looked off at the river and saw nothing. Harry was cackling when I noticed the ball still on the tee. 

“Here,” he said, “Can I help you out?” I sighed an, “I guess,” as he encircled around me, almost shielding me. He mumbled instructions into my ear as he held my hands in his, leading me with the club still in my hand. I wasn’t listening to his words, just his voice, as his breath tickled my ear. Thank God he couldn’t see my face because I was redder than a fire truck. Then, Harry took the club back and helped me hit the ball.

“Just like that,” he said, letting me go. I had to take a deep breath to return to earth. “Try again,” he said, putting another ball down. I lined up with the ball and, remembering what my body did in Harry’s grip, swung the club. It came in contact with the ball and soared through the air. It didn’t go as far as Harry’s but it went pretty far.

“I hit it!” I cheered, looking back at Harry, “I hit it! Harry, I did it!”

“I’ll be damned,” he chuckled, taking the club from my hands, “I’m an amazing teacher.”

“You forget I pick up pretty quickly, my good lad,” I said, returning to my seat.

“That’s true,” he said, looking back out into the distance. I stared at him, still not believing I was here, with Harry, alone. He was so handsome, it was almost painful, but looking at him and being with him, it felt like home. Nothing could be more perfect.

“So what are we doing for dinner?” I asked, after about a half hour.

“Well, what are you in the mood for?” he asked, “I could whip up-“

“Chinese!” I exclaimed, throwing my hands in the air.

“(Y/N), I’ve eaten out for almost a month straight. Doesn’t a home cooked meal sound good?”

“Chinese!” I repeated.

“(Y/N)-“

“CHINESE!”

Harry sighed, “You’re a child.”

“Yay!” I exclaimed as Harry took out his cell phone and began to dial the number, “We should watch movies tonight!”

“That sounds great, actually. Now what do you want?”

Harry ordered our food as we returned down the steps back into our living quarters for the next month and a half.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ask me questions on my personal tumblr: http://spring1924.tumblr.com
> 
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The Chinese food arrived and I answered the door so Harry wouldn’t be seen. After I set the food down, I plopped on the couch while Harry walked over towards his DVD collection. The couch was black and amazingly comfortable. It smelled like Harry and leather and I dug my face into the arm rest to inhale more of the wonderful aroma.

“What are you in the mood for?” asked Harry from across the room. Feeling rather silly, I began to sing.

_The story of my life_

_Give me my food_

_I’ll lay right here_

_‘Cause I am in the mood_

_For ChiiiIIIiiiIIIiiinese_

Harry gave me a look, trying not to laugh, “Did you just make that up?”

“Yes,” I laughed, “Praise me for my creativity.”

“That was actually pretty clever,” he giggled and turned back around, “So which movie?”

“Magic Mike!” I exclaimed.

“Sorry, I just returned that movie,” he said sarcastically, still looking at the shelf.

“Damn,” I feigned frustration, “The night is ruined! I was so looking forward to seeing Channing Tatum’s glorious bod.”

“Well, I’m no Channing Tatum, but get ready to wipe the drool from your mouth,” said Harry as he turned around and swiveled his hips. He began to unbutton his shirt while he made club beat noises with his mouth. My eyes widened.

“Oh my God,” I said panicking as he sauntered over to me, “No, stop, Harry, no!”

He was leaning over me, shirt halfway open, and I could see his tattoos peeking through. He was doing this on purpose, knowing close proximity like this made me uncomfortable. I lifted my hands to block him, but he connected our hands, interlocking our fingers.

“Dude, what are you doing?” I asked awkwardly.

“Giving you a strip tease,” Harry said, continuing with the beat. I could see his nipples, hard, and all four of them. His butterfly was close enough to breathe on.

“You’re invading my personal space,” I said, avoiding eye contact, “Back off.”

He leaned in closer to my face. I could feel his breath against my chin, giving me goosebumps, “(Y/N), you’ve got to get over your awkwardness around men or you’re never going to find a boyfriend.”

I looked straight into his eyes then. His eyebrows quickly raised and fell as he gave me a smug look…He was making fun of me. Well, two could play at this game, but I had to keep my cool because if I didn’t I was going to swoon with what I had planned next.

“I’d hardly call this awkward, Harry,” I said, sliding my hands out of his and smoothing them under his shirt over his bare chest. He was so smooth, exactly how it looked. My hands must have been cold because he stiffened a bit.

“Why’s that?” he asked gruffly, trying to regain his composure. Dear God, he was so sexy.

“’Cause you suck at lap dances,” I said taking his nipples between my thumbs and fingers, twisting them roughly. Harry let out a yell and grabbed his chest, falling onto the couch next to me.

“That was _merciless_ ,” he groaned, smoothing over his nipples, “You know how sensitive my nipples are.”

“How could I forget? Louis has told me too many stories to count,” I sighed, getting up to take a look at the movies myself.

“Like?” inquired Harry, sitting up, still rubbing his chest.

“Like the time you got a raging boner when Louis grabbed your boobs from behind,” I smirked, looking at him. His eyes widened.

“I trusted him,” he whispered.

I laughed, “Don’t worry I’m the only one he told…and Niall…and Zayn…Liam too...oh, and Lou.”

“Well _fuck!_ ” exclaimed Harry, lifting his arms to the ceiling.

I grabbed two DVDs and walked back toward him, “Harry, Harry, its fine,” I said calming him down, “It’s okay. We all have our kinks…yours is your nipples” I giggled.

He squinted his eyes at me, “You’re cruel.”

“You called me awkward with guys. We’re even. Now,” I said holding up the two cases, “Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit?”

“…Aren’t they the same?”

I sighed, “You disgust me. We’re watching The Hobbit,” I said putting the DVD in the player, “Hand me mah food sucka, I’m hungry!”

Harry laughed and got up to get our food. He handed me my order and we ate with chopsticks as the beginning of the movie played.

“…Harry you use your chopsticks wrong.”

“What? No I don’t.”

“Yeah you do that’s why your noodles keep falling back into your cup.”

I reached over and picked up several pieces of beef, “See? Like this…and this…and this…” I kept saying as I ate a piece of beef each statement.

“You little-“ began Harry as he reached for my food, trying to take a piece of shrimp and failing miserably, losing it every time he snatched it in his sticks.

“Hah,” I laughed receiving a “shut up” from him. After teasing him about his food, we continued to watch the movie. After the first half hour, we finished our food and sat on the couch comfortably.

Growing tired, I laid down and rested my legs across Harry’s lap. After another fifteen minutes, Harry spoke up.

“Okay, make room,” he said crawling over me.

“What?” I asked, looking up at him. This was a very suggestive position. He was holding himself on top of me, trying to lay down too, “Harry, there’s not enough room.”

“Yeah, you’re right…” he said with a puzzled look. I just looked up at him wondering what he was going to do, “I got it.”

He plopped his curly head down on my chest, pushing the air out of my lungs. His long body blanketed mine and I could feel the warmth it emanated as well as the heat in my own face.

“Thanks for the warning,” I wheezed.

“Sorry,” he mumbled against my chest. I felt the vibrations of his voice on my sternum and I almost laughed at how much it tickled.

This was normal for us, as surprising as that sounds. Ever since we were kids, we always cuddled together, much to the adoration of our mothers. Now that we were older, Harry particularly liked to use my chest as a pillow. He never made any comment about it and neither did I so we just sort of accepted it. We weren’t romantic with each other when it came to situations like this so it was fine however, that was before I really had feelings for Harry.

I fought every nerve in my body and prayed that he didn’t hear the rapid beat of my heart. I breathed normally, trying to calm myself down and act casual. I felt his chest push against my stomach every time he took a breath and that helped me create a mantra in my head to help me relax. I focused back on the movie for a while until I felt the vibration of Harry’s voice.

“So that’s Bilbo?” he asked. I responded a yes.

“But that’s not Elijah Wood.”

“Well, yeah, ‘cause he plays Frodo. He was in the beginning, Harry.”

“So then who was that old man?”

“That was Bilbo.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. _He’s_ Bilbo.”

“The movie’s a flashback, ya dingus, he’s telling a story about his youth.”

“Right, right…so where’s the evil guy?”

“Which one?”

“The one with the ring.”

“Sauron?”

“No, that’s the wizard.”

“That’s Saruman.”

“What? That’s too confusing. Why do the two evil guys have similar names?”

“I dunno now shush and watch the movie.”

He lifted his head and looked at my face. I turned my head toward him and we were centimeters from each other. He squinted his eyes.

“How’s my triple chin?” I asked, accentuating my chins.

“Breathtaking,” he commented, making us both laugh. This was what I missed. Just being able to be ourselves with each other. We could be ugly and make a joke out of it. We could lay on each other and not feel awkward or embarrassed because it was us.

Finally, the movie ended and I realized it was very late. That was when my exhaustion hit me. The plane ride, car ride, unpacking, eating Chinese, and being on a comfy couch with a warm and handsome boy acting as my hug pillow and blanket was very tiring. Noticing Harry wasn’t moving, I spoke.

“Hey, Harry.”

“Mmm,” he hummed. He was sleeping.

“Harry, I wanna go to bed. Get up,” I said, trying to shimmy my way out from under him.

“Nnh,” he moaned and wrapped his arms tighter around my body making it impossible for me to move any further.

“Dude, seriously,” I sighed, poking his side. He flinched and squeezed, incapacitating my arms, “Harold, you are being juvenile. Let me up, I’m tired and I wanna sleep.”

“Sleep here,” he grumbled against my bosom. I thought about just staying under the tall boy’s grasp and sleeping on the couch until I realized I would be losing the feeling in my limbs very soon, “But I want to sleep in an actual bed!” I wiggled furiously, but to no avail.

“Don’t make me force you to stay here, (Y/N),” Harry sighed, rubbing his head onto my boobs.

“What do you think you’re doing now!?” Seeing that he wasn’t listening, I took a deep breath and swung my leg out from under him and reached the floor. Yes! One limb down. Now to swing the other…

Harry’s lower stomach lifted and came down, crushing my pelvis and making me cry out. My legs reflexed and crunched up toward my chest, well, as far as they could go, allowing Harry more room to snuggle, “You ass…that really hurt.”

“I warned you,” he said, “And how did that hurt? You’re a girl.”

“It still hurts, contrary to belief,” I sighed, giving up.

“Are you gonna be good and stay?” he asked.

“Kinky,” I said to try and piss him off.

Suddenly, his arms were on either side of my neck, digging into the couch. He slid his body up until our bodies aligned and his face was right in front of mine. In the dark, I could still see his face. There was something in his eyes, something I had never seen before and it excited and scared me at the same time. I caught my breath in my lungs waiting for him to say something.

“Oh yeah?” he said lowly. It was a man’s voice, gravelly and sexy. Then it happened. He ground his hips in between my legs and I gasped.

“Too far!” I yelled, pushing up against him and moving my head to the side, avoiding his eyes, “Too far, Harry, _way_ too far!”

I felt his weight lift off of me and I heard his laugh, “Sorry, sorry.” Not knowing what to do, I got off the couch and hurried into my room. I hid behind the door, not believing what just happened. Harry just _grinded_ into me on a couch. Joke or not, it was hot and I had no idea what to do. I heard Harry’s footsteps in the hall and stopped in front of my door.

"(Y/N), it was a joke," he said waiting for a reply. I didn't know what to say so I kept quiet, "I didn't mean to make things awkward. I thought I was being funny. I went too far and I was out of line. Please come out."

Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I regained composure and turned the knob. Standing there was Harry looking distressed, big hands fiddling with each other, eyebrows furrowed, and head down. He looked up with a sorrowful expression and the look he had in his eyes earlier had completely vanished and returned to normal.

"(Y/N), I'm sorry. I was a real knob," he opened his arms, "Hug it out?"

I gave him a look, "No grinding this time?"

He shook his head, "Never again."

I giggled and smushed my face into his chest, "Good."

He chuckled and squeezed me into him. He rested his cheek on top of my head.

“The lads and I do stupid shit like that to each other when we want them to fuck off,” he said against my hair, “I wasn’t even thinking when I did it. Sorry for the scare.”

“You and the guys do _that_? _To each other_?” I asked.

Harry shrugged with me in his arms, “Louis’ the best at it, Zayn a close second.”

“Oh my God,” I giggled, picturing Zayn grinding into Liam, making him uncomfortable. Gaining some confidence, I spoke again.

"It’s all good, I love ya, bud," I said, still in the hug.

He swayed us back and forth, "Love you too, pipsqueak."

I gave him a smug look for the nickname and pulled away, going back into the guest room, my room for a whole month, and went to close the door but Harry stopped the door before it could close. I looked up at him, "Tomorrow we'll have a big breakfast to celebrate being home. You haven’t experienced a real English breakfast in years and I’d say you’re overdue.”

I beamed up at him, “Ooo yeah! That sounds awesome!”

“Good,” he said going back into the hallway, “Sweet dreams. Come wake me if you need anything.”

“Mmkay,” I said and yawned, “Night.” I closed the door and heard him walk away towards his room. I changed into my comfy tee and sweats, threw off my bra, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and crawled into bed. I created my pillow fort, secretly pretending the pillow against my back was the boy down the hall, and was whisked away into dreamland.

 

* * *

 

Morning came and I woke to the smell of breakfast, like Harry promised. I was still exhausted from the trip, so I snuggled back into the mound of pillows. Going back into a sound sleep I was awoken by Harry jumping on the bed, launching me into the air a bit. I groaned as he patted my back saying, "I made breakfast, rise and shine."

"There better be bacon."

Harry scoffed, "Americans."

"Best damn country in the world."

Harry rustled my hair and I sat up, grudgingly I threw on a bra and made my way to the kitchen. It smelled even better once I entered to room. Harry was a wonderful cook, surprisingly. He'd always had a knack for cooking things, even when we were younger. I remember when he would make me try his new recipes, unfortunately I was the guinea pig for a few unworthy dishes, but most of the time they were quite good and I'd want seconds.

I sat at the island counter and he put a plate in front of me. Sleep still present in my mind, I forced myself to eat the first bite. I chewed and was taken away to heaven. God, I wanted to marry this boy...well more than before.

His eggs were nice and fluffy and the toast was burnt just enough to have that crunchy feel but good taste and on the side was my promised bacon, a little burnt, but seeing as Harry didn't often cook bacon, I was grateful. He set down a cup of hot tea next to me, perfect for the cold weather, and I looked up at him.

"Is it like how Louis makes it?"

"Yeah," he said, sitting next to me at an angle so we faced each other. 

"Yessssss," I cheered as I blew on the hot beverage. We ate a bit more before I asked, "so what's planned for today, Captain?"

Harry chewed his food and swallowed, "I was thinking we could go walk around London for the day. It's been awhile since you were last here so I figured it'd be nice."

"Oo yeah!" I exclaimed, "That sounds fun! Can we go on the eye?"

"Sure," said Harry, stabbing another piece of egg with his fork, "I also need some new clothes, I lost a lot while traveling."

"That sucks," I said in between chews.

"Mm," he replied while taking a sip of his own tea, "You brought along enough warm clothes to go out?"

"No, I figured I'd brave the cold."

"The logical option."

We snickered and finished our breakfast. Harry picked up our plates and moved to the sink, "You go get ready, I'll clean this up and by the time you come out we'll both be ready to go."

I turned to him, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"(Y/N), we both know how long it takes you to get ready. You rival Zayn, love," he said turning on the sink.

I blushed. I love it when he calls me 'love.'

"Whatever," I said going back into my room. Connected to my room was a quaint little bathroom. It was sized for one person with a shower, bath tub, toilet, and sink, fully equipped with toilet paper and towels. I unpacked my hair dryer, straightener, and curling wand as well as my deodorant and perfume. I also put away my feminine products, in case of emergency, and brought the soap, shampoo, and conditioner with me into the shower, after I undressed. I was gonna show Harry just how fast I could be when getting ready and make him eat his words. That was what I thought before I turned on the shower.

There were two things I favored most in this world and that was Harry, and a hot shower.

Being in London, in the midst of December, it was freezing and this shower was a heaven sent. The warm water brought goosebumps up on my skin and I sighed, dampening my hair. I just stood there, enjoying the warmth when I came to my senses and realized I had to get moving. I shampooed and conditioned my hair, washed my face, and shaved. While doing so I hummed some Christmas tunes, seeing as the holiday was right around the corner. Another few minutes went by until I finally turned off the shower. With the cold returning, I shivered and grabbed a towel drying off as fast as I could.

I walked out and put on the outfit I planned to wear: my blue jumper with dark skinny jeans and my ankle high brown tie up boots. Going back into the bathroom, I dried out my hair with a towel when Harry knocked on my door.

"(Y/N), are you decent?" His low and muffled voice said behind the door.

"Yeah, come on in," I said, putting lotion on my face. I heard him make his way over to the door when I saw his head pop into view in the mirror.

"You always take forever in the shower," he said opening a drawer and looking inside.

I shrugged and noticed what he was doing, "Can I help you?"

"You haven't seen my deodorant, have you?"

I shook my head, "No, sorry."

Harry sighed, "Another thing to add to the list." He stood up and walked back out. While he walked, I couldn't help but watch him leave. His neck and back muscles were so lean and taut and his butt and thighs looked exceptional in those black skinny jeans. When he walked through the door, I dried my hair, straightened my curly q's, and did my makeup. My look was always natural, with mascara, because I could never pull off lip stick.

I grabbed my navy blue down winter coat and white scarf and met Harry, fully ready in a long dark green coat, shades, brown scarf, and matching beanie that hid most of his curls. He looked up and I held out my arms.

"Ready," I said with a smile. He smiled back and stood, walking past me.

"Hang on," he said entering his room. A moment later he came back with a gray beanie and fit it on my head, "Wear this so people don't recognize you. Also," he said, taking my hair and tucking it behind my neck, into my coat, "try to hide your hair. We don't want people recognizing us."

His long fingers brushed the nape of my neck and I tried to hide the blush but I was sure he could notice it, even with his dark shades on. His hands felt cold against my skin.

"You okay?" He asked, cupping my neck and lower cheeks with both hands, "You feel pretty warm."

I couldn't see his eyes because of the shades and it made me anxious, "Yeah, I'm okay. I just took a hot shower, remember?"

"I guess..." said Harry, handing me some shades of my own, "Just let me know if you feel sick, alright?"

I smiled, "Okay," as he led me out the door. We climbed down the rickety stairs and I felt the cold air seep through the old wooden barn-like walls. "Careful with this step," he began, "it's a bit worn." I stepped over the stair and reached the door to the outside. I felt the rush of cold air as we exited the building. The cold wind was bitter against my cheek and I was thankful for my scarf. I wished my hair was around my face, but for Harry's sake I kept it hidden. We hurried to a big black SUV parked across the street. Climbing inside, I was met with a greeting from Paul.

"Never get a day off, do you Paul?" I asked, happy to see him again.

"Not when it comes to you kids," he said, taking a sip of his hot drink in the driver's seat. We buckled in and set out for the city of London.

Paul dropped us off around a few shops and gave us his usual speech about how to contact him if needed. After he pulled away, Harry and I began our day in the city. We went all over London, taking the trolley, a big red double bus, and taxi. We took tons of pictures, some silly and most to send to home. We visited Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and many other places. Hours flew by as we shopped and ate and shopped some more. No one noticed us the entire day. It was wonderful just hanging out with Harry, like we used to. Finally, we came to the eye at the end of the day. It was breathtaking, looking out at the height we were, all of London right before us, even if the cold winter weather gave it a gray tone. I sat there, playing with my gloves until Harry spoke up.

"This was a fun day," he sighed, taking off his glasses and scarf. He raked his hair through his long fingers. He noticed me staring, "What?"

"I just noticed..." I said, leaning against the glass, "It's been awhile since you fixed your hair how you used to."

"What? Like this?" He said and, without warning, shook his hair with his hands and swooped it to the side. It was like I was staring at 17 year old Harry again.

"Oh my God," I said, leaning closer to him and touching his hair, "One little swipe of hair and you look completely different."

"A good different?" I heard him ask which made me look from his hair down to his face. He was staring right at me, looking for an answer. I smiled.

"You always look good Harry," I affirmed, "Even with straight hair."

He gave me a smug look, "That was a cruel prank that I'm still bitter about."

"Don't cry now, Harry, we're in public," I said, sitting back in my seat. He smirked at me and his eyes darted from me to behind me.

"Don't look now, but we've got some snogging going on next to us," he said tilting his head up to the people in the next carrier. I turned and saw he was right. They looked younger than us, and man were they going at it.

"It's like she's eating his face," I laughed, turning back to Harry.

"They must be on a date," said Harry.

"No, I think they just got food on each other's mouths," I grinned at him and he laughed.

"Of course. How could I be so stupid?" We laughed and I faced away from the lovers, focusing on the view. London...what a beautiful city...

"Today was kind of like a date."

My breath stopped and I turned to look at Harry, who was still looking outside the window. Regaining my composure, I turned back to the window.

"Was it?" I asked, wanting confirmation for what he just said.

"I mean...we did everything that people would do on a date. We walked around, we reminisced, we talked, we shopped-"

"Friends do that too Harry," I joked, but he didn't look at me, just out at the city.

"Yeah...yeah..." What the hell? Where did this come from?

I felt a tickle in my throat and coughed, making it seem awkward between the two of us, unintentionally. I had to think of something to break the tension.

"Do you miss Samantha?" I asked. Instantly, I wished I didn't. Why the hell would I bring her up out of the blue? I just wanted the conversation to keep going and she just popped up.

"I guess," he said, resting his cheek in his hand.

"What do you mean, 'you guess?' Aren't you two...you know...”

Now Harry was looking at me again, "Aren't we what?"

"...Dating?"

Harry gave me a look, one I've gotten plenty of times when he knew what I was thinking.

"That's not what you were gonna say."

"Yes it was," I squeaked, begging he wouldn't say it.

"You were going to say 'fucking,' weren't you?"

My face turned three shades of red, "No!"

"Your face gives it away! It always does! You were thinking about me fucking Sam!"

"No I wasn't!" I screamed, hiding my face in my hands.

"...Now you are," he said.

"Shut up, Harry, no I'm not," I whimpered, trying to hide my embarrassment. Suddenly, Harry started fake moaning and saying "Yeah, oh yeah, uh, oh God..." This was cruel. This was a cruel, cruel joke. I was actually getting turned on, imagining Harry on top of me, making those obscene noises, moving back and forth...in and out...Oh God.

"Enough! Harry, enough!" He didn't stop, in fact, it just egged him on. With my face still hidden, he moved his lips toward my ear, "Yeah, you like that, baby? So good for me..." I couldn't take anymore.

"HARRY, WOULD YOU STOP IT!?"

Harry flew back, shocked, and quickly started laughing. I was shaking, embarrassment and arousal flooding my body. I crossed my legs and held my cheeks in my hands, trying to keep my blushing to a minimum.

"(Y/N), you're so easy to embarrass! All I have to do is mention sex and you get all flustered."

"Shut up," I muttered, "Just 'cause you've had sex doesn't mean you're the master of the bedroom, ya fuck."

"Well, in my experience, that's what they call me after we're done," he winked.

"Oh really? The two people you've had sex with said that?"

Harry then slid forward in his seat and took hold of my hands. Fearing he would do something to make me embarrassed, I tried to pull away, but he held them firmly in his hands.

"Relax, I'm going to be serious for a minute," I let out a breath and looked him in the eye. He continued, "The man you have your first time with will be the luckiest man in the world because you're going to love him with your whole heart. Whether it be your one year anniversary or your wedding night, he's going to have you and what you two will share will be amazing and very special. I'm envious of that."

I looked at his green orbs, almost moved to tears, "Why do you think that?"

"'Cause I know you, (Y/N)," he said, lifting our hands and plopping them back down, "You're picky, and the boy you pick to date is gonna be perfect."

I chuckled with irony, 'Guess who?'

Harry kissed my forehead, "Love you, short stock."

"Love you too," It was true.

"...And we haven't had sex."

I looked at him and he was staring out the window, probably thinking about her. My mind felt like it melted with relief. They didn't have sex...well...yet.

I coughed again and when Harry sat back down I noticed the people move in the carrier next to him. I saw something shine and recognized what it was. An iPhone.

Shit.

"Harry, put your stuff back on," I said, still looking at the carrier. He went to move, "Don't turn around. Just put on your hat and keep facing me."

He quickly put back on his disguise and dialed Paul. By the time we reached the ground, Paul would be there and, unfortunately, so will tons of screaming fans.

"Harry, what's the plan?" I asked, a bit anxious.

He was quiet. I could tell his mind was racing, trying to piece together everything he had to so to get us out of the situation we found ourselves in. Even though I could tell what he was thinking, he remained calm. If I hadn't grown up with him, I wouldn't have been able to tell he was nervous.

"Stay by me," he said, lips pursing, "Don't let go of my hand. We're not gonna have another airport incident. I'm not gonna let you out of my sight, okay?"

I nodded, having flash backs of the airport. Harry took my hand in his and I started to breathe heavily, my field of vision becoming a bit blurry. I couldn't faint now, not at a time like this. I took deep breaths, Harry's hand rubbing soothingly against mine, calming me down. We could already see a crowd forming on the ground. When we reached the bottom and the carrier doors opened, screams filled my ears once more and I cringed. Not again.

Harry pulled me through the crowd and Paul immediately met us. He helped us through the crowd and before I knew it, Harry pulled me into a run. We ran, his long legs moving fast, me double timing, trying to keep up. I felt a throbbing in my chest, but I ignored it due to the situation at hand. We reached the car around the corner and we lunged inside. The tires screeched as we got out of there, Paddy driving and Paul in shotgun.

"I blame you..." I breathed. Suddenly, I began to cough, out of control. Harry put a hand on my shoulder, breathing heavily, while I regained my breath.

We returned to Harry's flat and he opened the car door. He walked out and waited for me to leave the car. As I exited, Paul held the door open and the cold hit me like a brick wall. I ran inside, thanking Paul and Paddy again, and ran up the stairs, skipping the rotting one, and hopping up and down waiting for Harry to hurry up after talking to the men.

"W-w-would-d y-y-ou hurrrrrry uuupp," I tried to say, while my mouth spasmed and teeth chattered.

"C-c-calm yourself, I'm c-c-c-coming" he said, making fun of me.

"J-j-just open th-the door," I seethed. He unlocked it and we hurried inside, warming up immediately. Harry grabbed the kettle and put it on the stove. I kicked off my shoes, keeping my coat on, and curled up on the couch, trying to get warm.

"I forgot how easily you get cold," said Harry, grabbing a blanket and draping it over me. I thanked him and sneezed. My head was pounding and my eyes felt so heavy. I only closed them for what felt like five minutes until Harry gently shook me awake.

"(Y/N), are you okay?" He asked, putting down my cup of tea.

"Yeah," I groaned, still tired, "How long was I out?"

"Twenty minutes," he said, holding out his hands, "Give me your coat, I'll hang it up."

I was reluctant because I still felt so cold, but he offered me a comfy jumper of his, as collateral, so I agreed. He walked into the hallway and into his room at the end of the hall. He came back within seconds with a large lilac colored sweater, my favorite shade of purple. I chuckled as I put it on.

"What a lovely lilac color," I commented.

"Hush you," he said, tucking me back under the blankets, "My mom gave me that sweater...said it made my eyes look good."

My hand poked out of the side of the blanket and I took the corner of his sleeve in between my thumb and forefinger, gently rubbing it.

"They do," I croaked, my voice becoming weak along with the rest of my body, "You have lovely eyes, Harry."

Harry looked at me, like I was the first flower he'd seen after a very long winter, and it made my heart melt. He smiled, dimples and all, a real one. Not one of those quick fan pictures, or public pictures, but a genuine, loving smile.

"Thanks, (Y/N)," he said, his voice very low, "Not trying to be creepy, but sometimes, when I look at yours...I get lost in them."

I blushed, a bit of warmth returning to my body, and I smiled like a bashful five year old.

"Not creepy at all," I said, patting his sleeve and returning my hand to the warmth of the blanket, "I think I'm just gonna sleep here, if that's ok."

"You sure?" asked Harry, "I could help you to your room."

"No, it's fine, the day just took a lot out of me, I'll be okay," I said with a sigh.

"Okay," he said, getting off the couch, "finish your tea, then get some rest. If you need me, I'll be on the roof, so you're gonna have to text me. I'll come check up on you before I go to bed."

"Harry..."

"Nope, don't want to hear it," he said turning away.

"I was just gonna say grab a blanket, you butt."

He smacked his and gave me a look over the shoulder, making me giggle. With his coat on, he grabbed an extra blanket from the closet.

"One of these nights, I'm gonna show you some cool things I do on the roof."

"Mmm," I hummed. My eyes were shut and my brain was already going into sleep mode.

"Are you sure you don't need anything else?" He asked once more.

"Good night, Harry!" I yelled, praying that would make him go away so I could sleep. Finally, after a moment he walked away toward the door leading to the staircase to the roof. With the lights off, I fell into the wonderful embrace of slumber.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thanks again for reading and for all your support :)
> 
> Come visit my personal tumblr here: http://spring1924.tumblr.com/
> 
> And if you want to read more fics or like imagines come visit our blog here: http://1dboysimagines.tumblr.com/
> 
> Enjoy!

I was on fire.

I woke up to a cold, wet towel on my head and a sweat drenched jumper. My whole body was too warm for comfort, but my face was the hottest part of my body. My throat felt like a desert and every time I took a breath, it stung and rattled in my chest.

Suddenly, a figure was next to me and I flinched, not being able to clearly see who it was. When it spoke, I immediately relaxed.

"Sorry, (Y/N), sorry," he whispered, smoothing over the towel on my head, "open your mouth, I'm gonna take your temperature, okay?"

I did as I was told and he put the thermometer under my tongue. I was so tired but too hot to go back to sleep. I just wanted to pass out. The towel on my head felt amazing and Harry's big hand felt cool against my cheek as he compared the temperature of my skin to his own.

"Damn it, (Y/N), you're burning up," he said as the thermometer beeped. I opened up once more and he took it, squinting his eyes as he examined the results, "38.8 degrees Celsius, _shit_."

He took the towel from my head and replaced it with a very comfortable ice pack. He put a large towel on my pillow and laid the wet towel on my neck.

"I'm gonna try to get your fever down," he said, a look of concern on his face, "hopefully you'll sweat it out. If it gets worse, I'll call my mom."

I looked over to the clock on the stove. It was 3:36 in the morning.

"I'm gonna call your mom and let her know you're sick," he said, picking up his cell phone, "It should be morning over there right now."

My hand escaped from the inferno of the blankets and grabbed his leg where he stood next to the couch. He turned and looked at me.

"No..." I pleaded, my voice sounded foreign due to the intense burning of my throat, "Please...don't call my mom...I'll be fine..."

"(Y/N)-"

" _Please_..." I looked up at him, eyebrows furrowed. I didn't want to worry my family. It was my first time being out of the country on my own. The only reason I was allowed was because they knew I was staying with Harry, even though they didn't know we weren't staying with his family. I also didn't want any unwanted visitors while staying with Harry, and my parents fell in that category.

"Fine," said Harry, putting down his phone. He sat on the edge of the couch and sighed, "I should have known you would get sick," he gently shifted the ice pack on my head, "you felt really warm this morning."

"Sorry," I whispered. He gave me a loving yet disapproving look.

"Like you could help it," he said, wiping the thermometer with disinfectant and sheathing it, "you used to get sick every winter, I should have seen it coming."

"Just my throat," I croaked. He shushed me.

"No more talking. You're gonna make it worse. Get some sleep, I'll be here if you need anything."

"Harry, it’s 4 am."

"I'm gonna sleep too. I'll be on the other couch."

I nodded and closed my eyes, collapsing into sleep.

* * *

 

"Mum, I don't know what to do."

I could hear Harry walking back and forth in the kitchen area. He was whispering but I could hear him very clearly in the quiet flat.

"I just took her temperature again. It's 39.11 now, but I put ice packs on her head and neck."

I could faintly hear the voice of Harry's mom on the phone. I opened my eyes a bit but my vision was very blurry. I could barely read the clock, but I made out a 6. It was 6 something in the morning. Did Harry stay up since I went to sleep?

"Should I take her to the hospital?" His mom replied. "I'll pay for it, it’s fine. She can just go under our name right?"

Wait, hospital?

"She has citizenship here so...no I understand, mum, but I think I should take her to the hospital...but what if her fever gets higher?"

I suddenly had a tickle in my throat which led me to having a coughing fit. Harry, now knowing I was awake, rushed over to the couch.

"Hang on, mum, she just woke up," he said into the phone before holding it against his chest, "Hey, (Y/N), how are you feeling?" I went to speak, but I only ended up coughing. I just shook my head back and forth to signal I wasn't feeling well.

"I'm talking to my mum," he said, "she's telling me how to bring down your fever and some home remedies for your throat."

I smiled lazily up at him. He was so kind. Being in this state, I was truly grateful for all he was doing for me. He took the ice pack from my forehead and felt how warm it had become. "Shit," he whispered, surprised at the temperature, "Let's switch this out for a bag of ice, that'll do."

He got up and continued talking to his mom. His speech turned into muffled utterances and I drifted into unconsciousness once more.

I was suddenly woken by a very worried looking Harry.

"(Y/N), wake up!"

I groaned and my hazy vision cleared enough to see Harry.

"What?" I groaned. I was too tired for this.

"Did you faint? Are you okay?"

"I just went back to sleep, Harry..."

Harry's face contorted into a look of confusion, "I literally walked away to get you some ice and you were completely out. I was scared you fainted from heat!"

"No...I'm ok just...really tired..." I said, closing my eyes again. My breathing was ragged and my body was sore. The ice felt amazing on my head, no uncomfortable coldness of ice on skin, just a cooling sensation, "I'm...gonna go back to sleep..."

I felt the back of his hand on my cheek, feeling the warmth, then he cupped my cheek, "Okay, get some rest," he said as he got up off the couch. I heard his phone ringing another number and that was the last thing I heard before I fell asleep again.

* * *

 

"Alright, I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Don't worry, Harry. She'll be fine while you're gone."

I could hear Harry talking to another man near the front door. My eyes remained closed as I listened on.

"If anything happens, call me. I've got my phone on full volume. Don't forget to change her ice pack and make sure she isn't too hot. Also don't forget to turn on the fan near the couch-"

"Mate," the man interrupted Harry, "We've been over this multiple times. I've got everything under control. The sooner you leave, the sooner you can go back to playing doctor."

There was silence, then a sigh.

"You're right," said Harry, "You're right, you're right. I need to go."

"See you soon," he said as the door opened.

Oh, great. Harry was leaving me with a stranger. I am sick, defenseless, and with a man who I don't recognize. I'm just gonna keep sleeping...

"Thanks, Ed, I really owe you one."

Excuse me?

"Just cat-sit Graham and we'll call it even."

Oh my word, was this man really who I thought he was?

"She's not a pet, she's my best friend who could be dying right now."

"Aren't you supposed to be somewhere right now?"

"Shit, yeah, I'm late. Call me if anything happens, Ed. _Anything_."

"Will do," he said as the door finally shut. When it did, I peeked my eyes open a bit and saw a head of flaming orange hair.

Yep.

Harry asked Ed Sheeran to watch me while he went out.

I'm going to kill him.

I've wanted to meet Ed for the longest time. Ever since he and Harry became buds! His music was absolutely amazing and his voice was clear and flawless. His lyrics were outstanding, touching the very soul. And this beautiful example of a human being was standing in the kitchen while I lay incapacitated on the couch covered in ice packs! He spoke again and I listened intently.

"This place is amazing," he said to himself, "No wonder he built it out here. No one would ever even think to look out here across the river." I heard his footsteps get closer to me and I tried to keep my breath steady, "So you're (Y/N)...I've heard a lot about you." I couldn't breathe. "Harry always talks about you, you know. He said he wanted to introduce us at some point. Unfortunately, you're running a bit of a fever, and you're unconscious, so that's gonna have to wait awhile." I didn't want to embarrass him so I kept my eyes shut. He walked toward the kitchen, "Let's see if Harry's got anything good in here...Ah! Shit!"

Suddenly there was a loud clang, and my eyes shot open. My heart raced from the noise and I saw Ed staring at me from the kitchen.

"...Hi," I said, trying not to be awkward.

"Hi," he replied, picking up the pans he knocked over that were used for yesterday's breakfast.

"Where's Harry?" I asked, my voice barely there. Oh my word, I probably looked and sounded like hell.

"He went out for a bit, but don't worry he'll be back as soon as he can." He came over and stood next to me while I was on the couch, "I'm Ed."

"(Y/N). Nice to finally meet you," I grimaced at how awful my voice sounded.

"Nice to finally meet you too," he smiled. I died a little when he did. He was _adorable!_ "You don't have to talk for my sake. Save your voice. I know how it is."

I nodded and smiled. For the next hour, we watched TV, played video games, he ate while I sipped on water and lemon-lime soda. I could barely swallow so this was the best we could come up with.

We shared jokes and memories. We talked about Harry and how we both met him. Being with Ed was amazing. He kept me awake and focused and he was just enjoyable to be around. I still felt insanely tired and hot. Ed changed my ice pack and told me to rest up or Harry would get upset.

"Why did he call you, Ed?" I asked, "Why not one of the lads?"

"Apparently they're all too busy to take care of you. Not me though. I'm a good friend."

I chuckled and rested back against the pillows on the couch. I looked over at the clock and two hours had gone by. When did that happen?

After another fifteen minutes went by, I was stirred from my sleepiness and Harry came back inside with groceries galore. I also heard two familiar voices that made my heart skip a beat.

"Hey, Ed," said Harry, approaching the ginger, "How is she?"

"Ask her yourself," he said nodding towards me. Harry turned and was surprised to see me awake. He came over to me and took the ice pack off, feeling my forehead.

"How you doing, love?" He asked, now feeling my cheeks.

"Less sleepy but still tired," I croaked. He pursed his lips and then I was met with Harry's face, except female.

"(Y/N), what have you gotten yourself into now?" she asked in that lovely accent.

I blushed and smiled, "Hi Gemma."

"Gem, don't knock me over I gotta take her temperature," said Harry rising up from the floor.

"Go get the thermometer then. I want to talk to her. It's been ages." Another female came over and joined Gemma.

"Hello, love," she said, mimicking Harry and feeling my forehead.

"Hi Mrs.Twist," I whispered. It had been so long since I last saw her. It was odd, calling her a different last name than Harry, even after all these years.

I felt so relieved. Even though I was an adult, having a parent around made me feel at ease, especially a nurse. I sighed as her cool hand felt my forehead.

"Ooo you are warm," she said, taking the thermometer from Harry, "Darling, go start the stove and warm up the broth."

Harry did as he was told. He also walked Ed out who promised to come visit again once I was better. That made me smile. His mom took my temp and it was now 39.17 degrees Celsius.

"How does your throat feel?"

I shook my head back and forth. It burned with every breath I took. She laid me back against the couch and tucked me in while she went over to help Harry cook. Gemma sat next to me and kept me company. She asked yes or no questions so I could stay quiet.

"Is your sister doing well?" I shook my head yes. "I miss her. We skype and text but it's not the same. Harry," she called over her shoulder.

"What?"

"When are you going back to the states?"

"Not till February."

Gemma made a disapproving noise and turned back to me, "You'll just have to take me back with you." I smiled and nodded.

After another half hour, the soup was done. Harry and his mom made chicken noodle. "What a team," he said high fiving his mom. He brought over a bowl and I looked down to see nothing but broth.

"Drink that first," he said, handing me a dry towel, "this'll clear your throat up."

I drank it and at first it burned but soon felt amazing and it tasted great. Harry's mom was one of the best cooks. Nostalgia hit me like a truck and all these memories kept coming back to me. Summers with cool watermelon, falls with pumpkin pie and pastries, winters with warm tea and peppermint, and spring with fresh fruit and vegetables.

"Mmm," I hummed, drinking more. Harry smiled and went to get his own bowl.

"Mum, I miss your cooking," Gemma said from the love seat.

"If you came home more often, you'd eat more of it," she said putting pans in the sink.

"Did you have something to do in London, Mrs. Twist?" I asked, curious. She was supposed to be in Cheshire. Gemma lived in London so I understood her being here, but we weren't supposed to see Harry's mom for another week.

" _This_ boy," said Harry's mom, putting a hand on Harry’s shoulder, "called me at 3 am saying you were dying. He wanted to admit you to the hospital. I told him that wasn't necessary but after he called me again, I told him I’d come visit and check up on you."

I looked at Harry whose face had a tinge of red. Oh my God. He was blushing. That _never_ happens! I whipped my phone out and took a picture.

"Did you just take a picture of me?" He asked.

I shook my head no and Gemma came over behind me, "Harry you look so cute, look at how embarrassed you are."

Harry walked over and took my phone, "No!" I cried, taking it back, "I'm sick. Leave me alone." He sighed, "Fine. No more pictures. I'm deleting that when you're better."

"I'd like to see you try," I said glaring at him.

"Aw, how cute," said Mrs. Twist, her hand cupping her cheek, "You two haven't changed since you were little."

"Makes sense," I said, Harry's head whipping back toward me.

"Shut up," he said. Suddenly I started coughing again. Harry grabbed me some tissues as I hacked up a lung. I took them and coughed into them as he rubbed my back. I coughed up a lot of mucus, making my breathing better and my throat unclogged.

"Wow," I breathed, "this broth is amazing." Harry smiled reassuringly.

"With this soup and medicine you'll be better in no time," he said, still rubbing my back, "then we'll have some fun, yeah?"

"Mmkay," I nodded.

"You know the best way to get rid of her virus?" We both looked up at Harry's mom, puzzled looks on our faces. "Give it to someone else." We still looked confused, making her laugh, "Go on and give her a kiss, Harry."

My eyes widened and I faced Harry, whose face mirrored mine. Our faces were close and I turned red. His cheeks pinked a bit, as he turned back to his mom, "Mum, _c'mon!_ "

"What? You two used to do it _all the time_ as kids," she said, turning back to the sink.

What.

"No we didn't," said Harry getting up and walking over to the sink to help.

"Yeah you did," chimed Gemma from her seat, "I remember. You guys were really young so it was harmless." My face turned five different shades of red. Why didn't I remember this!?

"Gem, stop teasing," said Harry.

"I'm not. It's the truth," she replied. Oh Lord. I didn't need this right now.

"It was so cute. The first time was when (Y/N) fell off the teeter totter at the park, you know, the one near the hospital, and Harry came running over to her side and instead of kissing her boo boo he kissed her right on the mouth! It was so precious."

"It didn't help," laughed Gemma.

"No, but she stopped crying," giggled his mother.

Harry and I have kissed. It was when we were young, but we did. We were each other's first kiss! Ha!

Harry wasn't looking at me now. I needed to make a joke of this fast or it was going to be very awkward.

"Harry," I called.

"What?" He asked, back facing me still.

"Harry, look at me," I said. He sighed and turned toward me, face a bit red now. I can't remember the last time he blushed this much. He usually didn't get embarrassed like this.

"What?" He repeated, now looking at me. We stared at each other until I spoke.

"You stole my first kiss."

Harry's mom and Gemma burst out in laughter. I smiled, trying to make him not as embarrassed. It failed because he just got redder.

"It's not like I knew what I was doing!" He said trying to justify his actions from all those years ago.

"It's fine, Harry, it's not like it counts," I scoffed. Yes it did. It totally counted. But to make Harry feel better, I'd lie.

"Yes it does and you know it," he said giving me a 'really' look. I shrugged.

"Well, let's hope, for Samantha's sake, you've improved since then," I teased. Harry then turned to me with that look in his eye. Why I never learned my lesson, I'll never know.

"Well," he said sauntering over to the couch, "since you're the _expert_ on my kissing skills, why don't we see if I have?"

Excuse me?

"Excuse me?" I squeaked. Gemma started chuckling.

"We're gonna see if my kissing's gotten any better since we last kissed," he said, gripping the top and arm of the couch, trapping me.

"What? Wait, why? Harry it was a joke! C'mon!" I looked over to Gemma for help.

"You're in for it now," smirked Gemma.

I turned back to Harry who was now uncomfortably close, "You're gonna get sick!"

"Don't have anything 'till after the holidays," he informed, "Plenty of time."

This was so embarrassing. Harry was embarrassing me in front of his family. He wasn't going to kiss me, just make me red as a tomato and then laugh at me.

I sighed, "Alright, alright, that's enough, I get it-" I stopped when he grabbed my face. Oh God.

"Pucker up, buttercup," he whispered as he went in for the kill, so close I could feel his breath against my lips.

"Alright now, Harry, that's enough," said his mom, "Leave the poor girl alone, we know how you get when you're made the butt of a joke."

Harry straightened and turned to his mom, "It was just a joke, mum," he said, gathering the now empty bowl, "My days of kissing her are over."

That pierced my heart like a knife.

"Well I don't want to kiss you either," I spat, "I'd be a home wrecker!"

The girls laughed but Harry just gave me a look. I was gonna get it later.

"It's getting late, my love," said Harry's mom, "We should get going. We'll do lunch tomorrow."

He embraced both his mom and Gemma and led them out the door. He walked over to me and covered me with the blanket.

"Get some sleep," he said, "Mum's staying at Gem's. I'll check up on you again before I go to bed."

I looked up at him, "I'm sorry...for embarrassing you..."

He smiled down at me, "It takes a lot more than that to embarrass me, (Y/N). If Taylor Swift failed to embarrass me, I'd like to see you give it your all."

I smiled back at him, "I'll whip out the photos of you in the tub."

He gave me a look, "How did you get my baby photos?"

I gave him a look back, "Who said they were baby photos?" His expression was blank.

"Louis."

"The very best."

"Go to bed," he said kissing my cheek, "You're still hot."

"Tell me something I don't know," I scoffed. He grinned.

"I'll get you another ice pack, then sleep. Not another word."

I sighed, "Fine."

"Ah!" He said silencing me, "Not. Another. Word."

I gave him a knowing look and snuggled into the couch, hoping for more rest and more broth in the morning.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Thank you so much for reading and for all your support!
> 
> My personal tumblr: http://spring1924.tumblr.com/
> 
> Our One Direction Imagines tumblr: http://1dboysimagines.tumblr.com/

Over the next two days, my fever began to decrease in temperature steadily. It went from 39 degrees Celsius to a safer 37.9 and yet Harry was still running around like a worried mother. It was a bit overwhelming, having him dote on me. I was worried about him, knowing he didn’t get much sleep since the night before last. It wasn’t until Gemma came to pick him up to meet their mother for lunch. He was hesitant to leave and it wasn't until she was at the door, forcing him out, that I got a little time to myself.

I heated up more of the amazing broth his mother made and drank it while watching TV. British comedy was so much wittier than American in some aspects. I could talk now, my throat recovering immensely thanks to the soup, and I was ready to finally have some fun. By tomorrow, my fever would be gone, and we'd be able to go out again with Harry.

I decided to take a shower and wash yesterday's sweat off me. It felt amazing, as usual, so I stayed in the shower for a good hour, thinking.

How was I going to get around to talking to Harry about the possibility of being more than friends? And how was I supposed to find out if he had any feelings for me? I couldn't just come out and ask, "Hey Harry, so, just wondering, how do you feel about possibly dating me, you're childhood best friend, who knows everything about you? I mean, no secrets right?" This was going to be difficult. Just thinking about it made my heart race and pump adrenaline through my veins. I sighed, calming down as the warm water ran over my skin.

When I finally got out of the shower, I dried off and found my oversized comfy jumper and leggings. I dried off my hair with a dry towel and curled up on the love seat, with a newly made cup of tea, looking out the window at the river. It was snowing, a beautiful contrast to the dark gray water.

It was then that Harry returned, a good time evident on his face.

"Hey! Did you have fun?" I asked from my seat, the make-shift bed on the couch no longer needed.

"Loads," he smiled, "We had a nice lunch and bought some last minute gifts for Christmas."

When he came in he didn't bring anything so I asked, "So...where are they?"

He gave me a smug look, "Like I'd keep your presents here. They're at Gem's."

"Damn," I said, feigning disappointment. He sauntered over to me and felt my forehead with his massive hand, almost covering my eyes, "How's the throat?"

I blinked, my eyelashes brushing against his thumb, "Much better, thanks to your mom. She's the best," I said as he pulled his hand away.

"Your fever's gone down," he said sighing with relief, "I'd say after today you should be good."

"I think I'm fine now..." I said looking at the door.

"No."

"But-"

"Absolutely not."

"You didn't let me-"

"I don't have to. We're not going out until you're at full health."

"Harr-mmm," he put his hand over my mouth.

"Stop talking," he said, "You're prettier when you're quiet." My eyes widened in indignation making him laugh, "I kid, I kid," he said releasing my mouth. I turned away from him and crossed my arms, snuggling into the couch, "Aw, (Y/N), I was joking." I still didn't look at him. "(Y/N)." I kept looking at the couch. I felt the warmth of his body as he loomed over me, "(Y/N), look at me." I did, finally. "Don't be mad, you know I would never say that and mean it." He waited for me to reply but I didn't. I just stared at him. I saw his eyes flicker back and forth from mine. "Not gonna talk?" I turned up my chin and looked back over the couch. "Okay, since you're not talking..." He said as he curled onto the love seat. My legs were draped over the arm of the couch so Harry sat on top of me, laying his long legs over my hips and leaning into me. He nuzzled his head into my neck. I stiffened a bit but let him relax into me.

"You smell good," he said. Well yeah, I just showered. My mouth stayed shut. "You're eyes are very pretty." Now he was just trying too hard. "Still not talking?" Nope. He sighed, "I'll just get comfortable then. I'm not moving until you speak to me."

I felt the warmth of his forehead against my jaw. He tucked his arm around my rib cage and we just sat there on the love seat. A few minutes went by and I came to realize that Harry had fallen asleep. I wasn’t surprised, seeing how restless he had been for the past two days. I sighed and rested back against him. This was so nice. If I had one wish it would be to stop time in this moment. He was so vulnerable sleeping here and I swear he could fall asleep anywhere. He always did when we were kids.

I remember when our families would go to the park near the hospital our mothers worked at. We would play hide and seek and one time we couldn't find Harry anywhere. Finally, I found him fast asleep underneath a park bench behind the big oak tree. I poked his face and he woke, smiling at me. "Did I win?" He asked groggily. I chuckled at the memory and decided to take a nap with Harry, like we were five again.

 

* * *

 

When I woke it was darker out. Dusk was covering London as my eyes adjusted. Harry was still asleep, his breathing even and peaceful. I looked around the living room and noticed the cast shadows and when I looked up at the oven clock in the kitchen my suspicions were correct. It was 5:40 in the afternoon and since it was winter it was getting darker earlier as the days went by, something I wasn't very fond of.

I felt Harry's breathing on my collar bone and I tangled my fingers in his soft hair. This boy was my whole world. He really was. I thought of him every day, every hour, minute, and second. I could no longer see him as just my best friend...and I was scared. What if he didn't feel the same? We were so close...comfortable enough to sleep together on a couch like this...but what if my growing feelings scared him?

Everywhere he went, there were girls throwing themselves at him. Every minute there were gossip magazines, television channels, every form of media was hounding him about every aspect of his life, especially when it came to romance. Whenever he was with a woman, who wasn't related to him, he was attacked and questioned without end until he had to give an answer as to who she was. The world knew who I was to him, only a good friend, and they didn't have to worry, which meant Harry didn't have to worry.

If only there was a way to know without asking him right out. If only he would show a sign of love that went past friendship.

I looked down at him once again. I pulled him closer and snuggled him, gently so I wouldn't wake him. I wanted to cry. I was so scared he was going to distance himself if I confessed my love. But...if I didn't, I would always wonder what could have been. I had to know.

Harry stirred from his sleep as I felt him shift against me, "Mmm." He looked up and spoke, "What time is it?" He looked at the oven clock, "5:47? Why didn't you wake me?"

I shrugged, "You looked like you needed it."

He looked up and beamed at me, "You're speaking to me again!" He snuggled back into me, "Yayyyy."

I smiled down as his curls tickled my chin. "Can we make dinner?" I asked. He looked back up at me.

"What's this? (Y/F/N) doesn't want to eat out? Doesn't want to eat fattening food and actually wants to eat _in_?"

I covered his mouth with my hand, "Hush. Let's see what your mom got us when you all went out. C'mon, up!"

He did as he was told and walked to the pantry to inspect the food, "Mum bought a lot."

"Good! We had nothing!" I said going over to the fridge. I opened it and was met with shelves of bountiful foods, "Jackpot," I sang as Harry came over to my side.

"I'll make some lemon chicken," he said reaching in and pulling out a large container filled with chicken, "We've got a lot of leftover chicken from the soup."

"Okay! I'll make mashed potatoes and a salad," I said getting ingredients of my own. I washed the potatoes and chopped the lettuce. We talked about what Harry did with Gemma and his mom that day while I mixed dark leaves in with the salad and cut the potatoes to put in the boiling pot next to Harry's chicken. It smelled heavenly and my mouth started to water. Harry stood in front of the chicken with tongs, inspecting and flipping them when needed. Once the potatoes were in, I stepped back and watched Harry cook. His broad shoulders were hunched a bit and, still being a bit tired from earlier, I moved forward and wrapped my arms around him. I hugged him from behind and rested my face in between his shoulder blades.

"Hello," he chuckled.

"Hi," I said, squeezing a bit, "Thanks for everything, Harry. For bringing me to England, taking care of me when I was sick, buying me presents. It's a lot and I really appreciate it."

He turned down the heat on the stove and turned around in my arms. He rested his forearms on my shoulders and I looked up at him, "What makes you think I would think you weren't appreciative?"

"I was just saying I'm thankful, that's all," I said, head upturned.

"I know you are," he said, lowering his arms to wrap around the outside of mine.

"Ok, good," I said letting go of him, but he didn't let go of me.

"But it would be nice to have some proof."

I gave him a confused look, "But I just told you how thankful I was."

"Yes, but, in this country, we show how thankful we are."

I paused, "How so?"

He bent his head down, "Give us a kiss."

My eyes widened. Oh my God. Could this be it? The sign? The moment I was waiting for? "What? Harry!"

"Just a peck on the cheek, c'mon."

Oh. Well then. "Harry you know how I feel about that. I get embarrassed when I kiss people. That's why I don't give you guys kisses when we greet each other. I'm not used to it like you guys."

"That's why I'm doing this. To help you. Now come on, the chicken is going to burn."

He turned his cheek and I grew warm in the face. Just a peck. I could do this. I went in and finally, after what felt like an eternity, pressed my lips against his cheek. He was soft against my face, warm to the touch. I gave him a good kiss, not too long and not too short and pulled away.

"Well? How was that?" I asked, a bit flustered.

"It was nice," he said, "very ladylike."

"I would hope so," I laughed. He let go of me and turned back to the chicken. The potatoes were still boiling and the salad was already made so I sat on the stool. Sitting there for a while, I decided it was time to act.

"Hey, Harry."

"Yeah?"

"Remember when we were on the Eye? And you said that our outing was like a date?"

He turned off the stove, "Yeah?"

"What did you mean by that?"

He put the cooked chicken on a plate and turned back to me, "'Cause it was like a date," he said simply. Okay, not exactly what I was looking for.

"Yeah, I get that but was it because it was like you were out with Samantha or…?"

Harry got a questioning look on his face, "(Y/N), what's all this about?"

I pursed my lips, not really knowing how to word what I wanted to ask without it being awkward.

"...if we weren't best friends...and you didn't know me...would you have wanted to date me?"

I held my breath waiting for the answer. I couldn't believe I had just asked that. Harry was looking right at me and he began to speak.

"I-"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"HARREH!"

My heart almost leapt out of my chest. We both whipped our heads to the door and heard the familiar Irish accent. I heard Harry groan.

"Shit, I forgot. Niall asked if he could hang tonight."

I held my hand against my chest as Harry opened the door and greeted the blonde.

"It's freezing out there!" shivered Niall as he entered the flat. He shed his coat and hugged Harry, "Long time no see, mate."

"Yeah," said Harry hugging him back. Niall then moved onto me.

"Hello, darlin," he said hugging me and kissing my cheek.

"Hi Niall," I greeted him. I was about to kiss his cheek, now having a new found confidence, but he moved back before I could, "Wait wait! I have to kiss your cheek!"

" _Really_ now?" He said coming back to me, "This is new," he said, presenting his cheek. I blushed and moved forward to kiss his cheek but right before I made contact, he turned his head and pecked my lips.

I yelped and hit him in the arm, "Dammit, Niall!"

He laughed and apologized, "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it." I looked at Harry who had an unreadable expression. I couldn't tell what was going through his mind but I could have sworn I saw a bit of irritation.

"It smells amazing," said Niall, snapping me back to attention, "What's for dinner?"

"Lemon chicken," said Harry returning to the stove, "(Y/N), your potatoes are boiling over."

"Oh no!" I exclaimed, hurrying over to the pot. I mashed them and we set the table in the kitchen. It was a great meal, Harry shining as always when it came to cooking.

“You look so different when your hair’s flat,” I said, fluffing Niall’s hair, “it reminds me of when I first met you guys.”

“That was four years ago,” said Niall, letting me touch his hair.

“Oh my God,” sighed Harry, “Four years.”

“How long have you two known each other, again?”

I looked at Harry, knowing exactly how long. Sixteen years. Without skipping a beat, his eyes caught mine.

“Sixteen years.” I smiled at him like he I was seeing him for the first time. He grinned at me and we shared a moment. Sixteen long years…

Niall breathed, “That’s a fucking long time,” he said making us laugh.

“Yeah, it really is,” I agreed, taking more chicken. We finished dinner and Niall relaxed in his seat.

"That was amazing," he sighed, "What's for dessert? (Y/N)?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"No. You got two kisses out of me. No more," I said, picking at my chicken, trying to hide my blush.

"You say that now," he teased.

"Oh my God. Stop. Please," I said, making him laugh.

“How about a movie?” suggested Harry. Niall and I agreed as we moved to the couches. Harry walked over to the freezer and took out a huge tub of ice cream.

“Yeeeeessssssss,” I said, making grabby hands from the couch. Niall joined me and Harry sauntered over with three separate bowls of ice cream for us to eat. He handed Niall his and was about to hand me mine when he lowered in front of me and whispered, “How do we say thank you?”

I took a deep breath, “I already kissed Niall tonight. Give me a break.”

“Ah ah ah,” he teased. Wanting my ice cream, I grabbed it from him, “Maybe later…” I mumbled. Harry definitely heard me because he looked at me wide eyed. Before he could say anything, Niall spoke.

“So what are we watching?” asked Niall, shoving a spoon in his mouth.

Regaining his composure Harry said, “(Y/N), you choose.”

“I don’t care-“

“PICK THE MOVIE,” exclaimed Harry.

“You always do this! I don’t-I DON’T CARE-“

“PICK THE MOVIEEEEE” chimed Niall.

“YOU PICK I DON’T WANNA!”

“Fine, we’ll watch this one,” said Niall, walking over and picking out Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark. My eyes widened and I shook my head, “No. Absolutely not.”

“You should have picked then,” sang Niall as he opened the box and turned on the DVD player. I looked to Harry and was praying he would speak up on my part…but he didn’t…

The movie began and I was scared as shit from the beginning. I shut my eyes most moments and Niall and Harry were absolutely loving it. They would have been scared themselves if it wasn’t for my reactions. Taking deep breaths, we watched more of the movie. Suddenly, Niall grabbed my side and shouted, making me almost hit the ceiling. I tried to breathe while the two cackled and laughed. Tears brimmed my eyes and I hid my face in my knees. This was awful.

“(Y/N),” chuckled Niall, “Awww, (Y/N), I’m sorry,” he pulled me into him and rubbed my back.

“You monster,” I said weakly.

We watched more of the move when suddenly, Harry's cell phone rang and he excused himself to answer it. Niall paused the movie and we decided to talk until he came back.

"So how you likin' holiday so far?" He asked.

"Well, I actually just got better from a really rough cough. I had a bit of a fever too so I'm ready to have some fun," I said.

"You want some fun? Come by my place sometime. I'll invite the lads and we'll have a real party!"

"Yeah," I smiled, "That sounds awesome!"

“You still single?” he asked. I looked up at him and he was giving me a look.

“Uh…” I didn’t know how to answer that. Niall didn’t know I liked Harry and I was currently trying to see if there was a chance we could be together. Not knowing what to say I went with, “Sort of.”

“What do you mean ‘sort of’? Yes or no?”

Well he was persistent, “Yes, I’m still single.”

“Even better,” said Niall, giving me a wink, “You come over with the lads and we can change that.”

I gave him an embarrassed smile, “Good Lord, Niall.”

Harry came back in the room and looked a bit concerned.

"What's up, Haz?" asked Niall.

Harry put his phone on the counter, "Oh, Sam got some time off for the holiday. She's coming back to England for the holiday."

My heart sank through the floor. What?

“Hey! That’s great! Just in time for the gala,” said Niall.

“Yeah,” said Harry nonchalantly.

“When is she coming back?” I asked, trying to feign apathy.

“She’s leaving on a plane tonight,” informed Harry returning to his ice cream.

I sat there feeling like complete shit. No! Samantha was coming back to England! Why was this happening!? I didn’t even have a chance to tell Harry how I feel! I would have to do it tonight. I would have to tell Harry I loved him before Samantha arrived.

The movie ended and Niall decided it was time to head out, “See ya, Haz,” he said hugging the tall boy. “See you, Niall,” Harry said returning the hug. Niall turned to me, hugged me, and kissed my cheek. He turned his cheek for me to kiss back. I didn’t want to kiss another man, but I complied. I held his face in my hands, learning my lesson, and giving him a quick peck. He laughed and left late in the night.

Harry walked towards his room and I hurried to catch up with him, “Harry, wait, can I talk to you?”

“Yes, (Y/N), you can sleep in my room tonight,” he sighed about to close his door.

“Wait! Harry-“ Oh shit. I wasn’t going to be able to sleep alone tonight, not after that horrific excuse for a movie. Shit! Why!? I couldn’t confess and then ask to share a room with him! This was the worst.

“Yeah, (Y/N)?” he said, leaning against the doorway. God, I could watch him do that for hours.

“…Please don’t be naked when I come in there.” Damnit, you fucking coward.

He lowered against the door frame, “I won’t be if you’re not,” he said giving me a seductive look.

“Oh, _behave_ ,” I said, mimicking Austin Powers, and quickly retreated to my own room. I hurried to find my navy crewneck sweatshirt so I wouldn’t have to wear my bra to bed. I slipped on my sweatpants but I changed my mind. I shaved my legs so I could wear my shorts comfortably…and why not show a little leg? I looked in the bathroom mirror and brushed my teeth, then my hair.

I tiptoed towards Harry’s room and reached his door. I took a deep breath and knocked.

“Come in,” I heard Harry’s voice muffled by the door. I entered and he was standing at his dresser holding a frame. He was shirtless, his arms exhibiting his many tattoos.

“Whatcha doin?” I asked walking toward him after regaining quick consciousness from almost fainting. I could see his V-lines near the very low waistline of his sweatpants.

“I got a new frame,” he said turning towards me, “What do you think?”

I walked next to him and inspected his new frame. It was split down the middle and on either side was a picture of us. They were years apart but it hit me right in the heart. On the right was us as children, hugging and smiling up at the camera. Harry had straight and blondish hair at the time but those glowing green eyes hadn’t faded a bit after all this time. I was much chubbier then, especially in the face. On the left was a picture taken of us a few months earlier. Harry was hugging me from behind, holding a smoothie while I held my own. We smiled wide and we looked very close.

“I love it,” I said, giving Harry a smile, “I really do,” I said taking it off the dresser, “It’s very nice,” I said making my way towards the exit.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, hand on his hip as he leaned against the dresser.

“Hmm?” I hummed as I moved closer to the door.

“That’s mine,” he said against my ear as he quickly caught up with me. He grabbed me around the waist and hauled me off the floor. I giggled, feeling lighter than air as he twirled me around like a rag doll. I held onto the frame, afraid I’d drop it. We collapsed on the bed, me still in his arms and we laughed like we were five again. He looked at me with a tired smile. Still gripping me, his eyes lowered and his deep voice vibrated.

“Mine.”

I looked at his face, trying to read it. He was looking right at me when he said it. He then took the frame from my hands and repeated, “Mine.” He got up off the bed and put the frame back on the dresser. He then ran back towards the bed and lunged onto it, narrowly missing me. I rose off the bed a bit and giggled like a child, “Wait! Get the lights! And while you’re at it put a shirt on. It’s freezing and you’re going to get sick and we don’t need another one of us getting sick!”

Harry groaned and got out of bed to turn off the lights. Once they were off, I saw the stars through his glass ceiling. It was rare to see them on a winter night but there they were, twinkling and beautiful. I felt the bed sink next to me as Harry crawled under the covers in the huge bed. It was long, able to keep Harry’s feet nice and tucked in. He moved his arm under my head and pulled me into him.

“I’ll be fine,” he said quietly, “and what about you? Wearing such scandalous shorts in front of a man.”

“A man?” I questioned, “When did you become a man?”

The stars were replaced with a face that held emerald eyes, cratered dimples, plump red lips, and a chin full of tiny scruff. He balanced above me

“When do you think?” he said, almost a whisper.

I looked into his eyes, “Why do you do this?”

Harry looked at me, bewildered, “Do what?”

I pursed my lips. This wasn’t the best time to do this. I would confront him in the morning.

“Nothing,” I sighed and turned onto my side.

“No, what do you mean?” he asked, sitting up a bit. I shook my head into my pillow.

“Nothing, Harry, I’m just tired,” I mumbled, not wanting to get lost in those eyes again.

“…We can talk about what’s bothering you in the morning,” he said behind me.

“Nothing’s wrong, Harry,” I sighed, “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, (Y/N),” he said, turning over and scooching his back into mine. With the new found security, I fell asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thanks again for your support and for reading!
> 
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I couldn't sleep. I looked around to see if there was a clock to check the time. The only clock was Harry's phone which was on the dresser next to him and completely out of my reach. I laid there for a while and thought about how I was going to tell him my feelings. Now that Samantha was going to be in England within the next day, my plan kind of fell through. I had to rethink my strategy.

I thought about the possibility of waking up early to make Harry a nice breakfast and tell him then, before Samantha even got a chance to see him. He didn't mention any immediate plans with her so maybe I could swoop in and snatch him back. That could work.

I turned over on my back and looked up at the glass ceiling and my breath caught in my throat.

Above us, on the glass ceiling was a pair of glowing eyes staring right at me.

"Harry," I whispered, scared beyond belief. We had just watched that stupid movie about those abominable little creatures and these eyes were making my hairs stand on end. Harry didn't move, breathing still even. He was facing me in his sleep, having turned over during his dreaming. I put my hand on his tattooed chest and nudged him lightly, "Harry!"

"Mmm, what?" He croaked. God I loved his voice when he woke up, but now was not the time for that.

"Harry, there's something on your ceiling!" I whispered, freaked out.

He looked up at the glass and sighed, "It's the cat."

"Dusty?"

"No, it's a stray that hangs out around here."

I looked back up and saw the feline's tail swish back and forth, almost hypnotically. My heart rate slowed and I relaxed a bit, "I'm surprised you haven't named it yet."

"I haven't thought of a good one," he said, eyes closed again.

The cat and I had a staring contest and neither one of us was letting up.

"It's creepy, Harry."

Harry's arm draped over my frame and pulled me into him, "Close your eyes and ignore him. Go to sleep."

My heart pounded, "But-"

" _Sleep._ "

"Yeah, okay," I said quickly as he pushed his nose against the side of my head.

Surprisingly, I fell fast asleep within minutes.

* * *

 

 

I woke to the smell of food wafting through the room. It was very pleasant until I realized the smell of food meant that Harry was cooking. " _Crap!_ " I said getting out of bed. There goes my plan.

I went up to the mirror and fixed my hair, trying to look somewhat decent when I went out to greet him. As I walked by the door, I saw a note in Harry's handwriting.

_(Y/N), I left some trackies for you._

_-H_

That was weird. Why would Harry leave me pants? I didn't look _that_ bad in shorts...and it wasn't cold because the heat kicked in last night. I saw the sweatpants on the bed and left them there for now. I opened the door and walked down the hall, the food smelling absolutely amazing. I walked into the kitchen and saw carry out boxes and breakfast food on different plates. Harry was pouring some juice and didn't hear me come in.

"Morning," I said, scratching the back of my head.

He looked up and went wide eyed, "(Y/N), where are your trousers?"

"I've got them on," I said, lifting up my crew neck to show I still had my sleep shorts on, "Did you go out and get breakfast?"

"Go put on the trousers I left for you," he said, looking toward the hallway.

"What? Why?"

"Mornin."

I turned to see the familiar Irish blonde standing in the door frame to the hallway with a huge grin on his face. Oh.

"Morning, what are you doing back here?" I greeted to him as I gave him a friendly hug.

"I forgot something last night. Harry, you're _this_ lucky to see such a sight in the morning?"

I blushed giving him a light nudge, "Cut it out. Did you get us breakfast?"

"Yep! I figured I'd get some food while I was out."

"That was thoughtful of you, thanks!" I said, sitting on a stool and taking a plate of food, "so what did you forget?"

"You know about the gala coming up?"

I quirked an eyebrow, "Gala?"

" _Shit_ , I forgot all about the gala," said Harry looking at Niall wide eyed.

"I reminded you last night," laughed Niall, leaning on the island, next to me.

"When is it again?" He asked the Irish lad.

"The day after tomorrow," he said, taking a plate of his own.

"What's it for?" I asked. Niall turned, his turquoise eyes sparkling.

"We're providing music to promote the album but it's a party to celebrate London's most influential people of fashion. I wouldn't know anything about that, but since Harry here is apparently a fashion icon, Zayn too but _that's_ actually accurate, we're going to sing at the event."

I breathed, " _That's_ pretty big. How the hell could you forget about that? You goof," I said, poking Harry's nose, “You forgot about Niall coming over last night too.”

"I was taking care of _you_ for the past three days," Harry retorted. I frowned. Oh yeah.

"So I came over to ask if you'd want to go with me," chirped Niall. I turned to him, eyes wide.

"To the gala?"

"No, to Jamaica. Yes, to the gala."

"Why me?"

Niall shifted against the island, "Harry's going with Samantha and I would like to spend my evening with a fetching date."

"So you ask _me_ and not a model or something? What about Barbara Palvin?"

Niall shook his head, "I wanna have fun and I know we'd have a great time if you we went together. What do you say?"

Niall did have a point. I wished to go to the gala as Harry's date more than anything but seeing as he would undoubtedly be going with Samantha, Niall was looking like a very good option.

I looked from cerulean to emerald, "Harry? What do you think?"

He put his fork down and shrugged his arms while he leaned against the counter, "You do what you want. You don't need my permission." There was something in his eyes that told me something was off. He always got that way when he was hiding something. I'd ask him about it later.

"Okay," I said turning back to Niall, "Sure, thanks for the invite."

His face beamed and it was brighter than the sun, "Great! I told Zayn I was gonna invite you and Perrie got all excited. She told me to 'woo' you first so I figured food would do it."

I took a fork full of eggs, "Well, sir, well done."

He laughed as all three of us ate our breakfast. Niall left soon after telling me he'd pick me up and that I just needed to give him a time. I told him I'd let him know, assuming Perrie was going to ask me to come over to get ready. After he left, Harry announced he was going to take a shower so I decided to text Perrie and tell her about the news.

**_Perfect! Everything is going according to plan._ **

I furrowed my eyebrows. _Excuse me?_

**_Did he ask you in front of Harry??_ **

_Yeah_

**_Yessss gooooood_ **

_Pez what are you planning?_

I sat on the couch and texted away while Harry showered. She responded rather quickly.

**_I'm not planning anything. This is perfect though! If Niall takes you to the gala you can make Harry jealous!_ **

I squinted at my phone. _How so? He's gonna have Samantha at his side most of the night and I don't wanna give Niall the wrong impression._

I heard the water stop running and I peeked at the hallway out of the corner of my eye.

**_If you and Niall are seen getting cozy and having a great time it might just catch Harry's attention. And you won't have to lead Niall on he just wants to have fun and he knows it'll be fun going with you! Relax! This is gonna be perfect for the plan!_ **

I sighed. _Louis' gonna have a field day with this._

**_Oh he already knows. I told him everything._ **

My eyes widened. _PERRIE_

Suddenly, as if on cue, I received a text from Louis.

**So I hear you're going to the gala with Niall.**

**_Heheheheh ;)_ **

I groaned and made a group message. _You two are going to be the death of me._

**Nonsense, Pez and I are only looking out for your best interests.**

**_Exactly._ **

_So why am I_ \- I stopped texting to see Harry strut into the kitchen with nothing but a towel on. His hair was shaken dry and he opened the pantry, looking into the plastic bags. His towel shifted and dipped a bit lower. My eyes were the size of dinner plates. I tore my eyes away when my phone kept buzzing.

**_Hello?_ **

**(Y/N)?**

I quickly typed _2 seconds._

"(Y/N)," he said, making my head almost whiplash when I looked at him, "have you seen the new shampoo I bought?"

I quickly shook my head, "Uh, uh."

"Where did I put that bag?" He asked, getting annoyed, and continued his search. Going back to my phone, I texted Perrie and Louis.

_Guys I'm on the couch and he just walked out in his towel. He's looking for shampoo omg someone put me out of my misery._

_**OMG (Y/N) HE'S TEASING MAKE YOUR MOVE** _

_WHAT NO OMG LOUIS HELP_

**He's always naked you should be used to this by now.**

"Whoops!" I heard Harry say as I look up and see his bare bottom.

Holy shit.

He quickly wrapped the towel back around himself and turned to look at me.

"Did you see?"

"No," I lied.

"You're a terrible liar," he said, "Your face is red."

Dammit. "Maybe if you put some pants on I wouldn't be exposed to such indecency."

He sauntered over to me and put his hands on his hips, right above his V lines, "Maybe if someone wasn't such a lazy arse, and helped me look, I'd be back in the shower by now."

I went back to my phone, "Make me."

"Pardon?"

I looked up at him, " _Make. Me._ "

Harry looked at my face and huffed through his nose. He walked back into the hallway and went into his room.

"That's what I thought!" I antagonized. I returned to my conversation.

_OMG I JUST SAW HIS ASS IN FULL NUDE GLORY_

**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA FUCKING GET IN**

_**OOOOOOMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGG** _

_HIS TOWEL FELL AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO THANKFUL_

_**(Y/N) YOURE GONNA BE SEEING THAT ASS OFTEN IF YOUR PLANS WORKS** _

_OMG DONT REMIND ME IM GOING TO FAINT_

**You girls are fucking psycho lol**

_WHY DONT YOU SAY THAT TO MY FACE TOMLINSON_

**_I WILL CUT YOU_ **

**Bring it ladies. (Y/N) serious note I would make your move soon. Harry texted me that Samantha is coming in. I couldn't get if he was happy or bothered by it so the sooner the better yeah?**

Before I could respond I heard the pounding of footsteps and Harry came charging back into the room, yelling. He thankfully had sweats on this time but it didn't stop the terror. I screamed and flinched as Harry yanked me off the couch and onto the living room floor.

"HARRY! WHAT THE FUCK!?"

"Make you, huh? You want me to _make you_?" He challenged, wrestling with me.

I hollered as I tried to hold my own against him. We used to wrestle like this as kids, tickle fights and pinning each other down. There was a time where I used to win the majority of the time. Ever since we met up again, years later, it was the opposite. Now I was wrestling a man, not a boy. We laughed as we rolled on the soft plush carpet. He took one of my wrists and I used my legs to try to push away from him but he would throw them out of the way with one arm. _One arm!_ He pulled my arm towards him, dragging me across the carpet into him. Both of us lay on our sides until I pushed my knees against the floor and threw my leg over him. I straddled his stomach, right under his butterfly tattoo, and made a grab towards his hands. We had a bit of a slap fight until I finally got both his wrists in my hands.

"Aha!" I cheered, breathing heavily, "I win!"

Suddenly, my weight was shifted towards the floor and as soon as my back felt the carpet, I could feel Harry's weight between my thighs. After recovering from the switch, I looked up into Harry's smug face.

"Tough luck, buttercup. You lose," he lowered his face closer to mine, "again."

I scrunched up my nose and moved my legs but Harry had already moved so he could trap my thighs in between his, "Not fair. Your fat ass helped you win."

Harry feigned shock as I stuck my tongue out at him, "'M not fat," he said shaking his head.

"Ok, 'pleasantly plump,' whatever," I said sighing but not looking at him.

He took one of his hands and used it to keep my face directed towards him, "Take that back."

"No," I said, still not looking at him.

"Look at me and take it back," he said again, calmly.

"I don't wanna," I said.

"I'm gonna make you regret it," he sighed.

Now I looked at him, narrowing my eyes, "If it's tickling, I've been through worse."

He lowered his face towards mine but wasn't stopping.

"Harry, stop," I warned.

"I told you, you were gonna regret it," he said, voice dark and almost a whisper. My eyes widened. He came so close that he  had to tilt his head and I could feel his breath on my lips.

“I swear to God, I’m gonna knee you in the balls!” I threatened but he just stayed where he was.

“Why do you get so uptight whenever I do this?” he asked, ghosting over my face, “You seem very comfortable with Niall, so why don’t you freak out, when he _kisses_ you, and I only do _this?_ ”

Anxiety overflowed from my chest to my limbs. I began to shake and I didn’t know what to do. Finally, I snapped, angry and confused.

"If you're gonna kiss me then fucking kiss me, Harry!" I yelled, surprising both him and myself. His green eyes widened and, for once, I think I threw Harry off his game. "I mean, _Jesus_ , it's getting old!"

He stared at me like I grew another head. Before he could retaliate, his phone rang. While still on top of me, he reached over to the table in front of the couch and grabbed his phone. He answered it, looking off to the side.

"Hello? Yeah, hey Sam."

Are you fucking kidding me?

"No, I can talk."

"Get off me," I seethed. He put a finger over my mouth to shush me.

"You won't be in until tomorrow?"

Oh?

"No, that's fine. (Y/N) and I are gonna-yes, I'm with (Y/N)...because she's staying with me for the holidays."

"Harry, I mean it, get off me!"

He covered my mouth with his massive hand and gave me a look that said "shut up." He continued to talk.

"Listen, Sam, calm down. The gala isn't for another two days. Why are we even talking about this?...Listen, we'll talk when you get here...No, I'm just a bit busy at the moment." Indefinitely. "I said we'll talk when you get here, okay?...Alright...Yeah...yeah...Okay...I'll see you soon...Okay...Bye."

He hung up the phone and looked back down at me.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

He looked down at me and set the phone back on the table next to us, "Sam's not going to be able to make it until tomorrow."

"I figured..." I retorted, not amused.

"Look, (Y/N), about what you said earlier"

"Harry," I interrupted, "it's fine. I was just...being stupid. I know you're only teasing but you know how I feel about being intimate. I've never had a serious boyfriend, hell, I've never even kissed a boy I've liked!"

"(Y/N)-"

"But it's okay! It's fine! Because I may not be as talented as Perrie or as stunning as Eleanor or as skinny as Samantha but I'm _me!_ " I said, eyes threatening to tear up, "And someday, I'm gonna find a guy who loves me, and cares for me, like..." _Like you do._ I felt a lump in my throat. "I'm happy you found someone, Harry. Even if she may not be 'the one,' I'll be here to support you. And who knows? I might find someone too."

Harry looked like someone had just kicked a newborn puppy in front of him. This was so awkward. Harry was not moving from on top of me and I didn't know how long I was going to last, trying to hold back my tears. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he spoke.

"(Y/F/M/L/N)," he began, not breaking eye contact, "first of all, you are talented."

I groaned, looking away. Here we go.

"We've sang together since we were children and I know for a fact you would hold your own in a group like Little Mix."

"Harry, I wasn't looking for-"

"Secondly, you are _beautiful_."

My eyebrows furrowed. I couldn't take this.

"I've watched you grow into a gorgeous woman who can brighten a whole room with an adorable smile."

I could feel the tears begin to pool near the corners of my eyes.

"As for being skinny, I have no idea what you're talking about. You are skinny, not that it should matter. Granted, you aren't as thin as Sam, but I can do anything with you. I can play sports with you, go to concerts with you, and I can cuddle you and feel how soft you are instead of bony limbs." My eyes widened. "Don't tell her I said that." I giggled. "You have charmed everyone you've ever met and everyone I've introduced you to _loves_ you." That got a tear to sneak out of the corner of my eye. Harry's thumb caught it and brushed it out of the way.

"You're beautiful, inside and out, and I will destroy _anyone_ who says otherwise."

I gasped sarcastically, "You? Violent? I guess that pap back in America wasn't enough for you, huh?"

He chuckled, "Tell that to the 400 women I shagged."

We laughed and Harry spoke again, “Is this why you were acting weird last night?”

I was surprised he remembered, “Yes and no…It’s…hard to explain.”

He ducked his head down next to mine and pulled me tighter into him, "I love you, (Y/N). It breaks my heart to see you unsure of yourself. Please don't cry."

I hugged him back, "I won't," I said, trying my best not to. When someone hugs me while I'm upset, it usually spurs more tears but for Harry's sake I had to pull myself together, "Thanks, Harry."

"By the way," he murmured, lifting himself up to face me again, "When you asked me earlier if I'd date you if I didn't know you...I would."

The whole world stopped turning when I heard him say those words. Suddenly, his phone rang again, jolting us both from the moment.

"Bloody-" he said, moving off me, finally, to grab his phone. Seeing who it was, his face brightened a bit, "James!"

I could hear the voice on the other side of the phone was happy to hear Harry's voice. I sat patiently, waiting until the conversation was over. Seeing that I was waiting, he put the phone on speaker mode and set it down on the glass table.

“James, you’re on speaker,” he said loudly, “(Y/N)’s here with me.”

“Hi,” I chimed from my spot.

“Hello, (Y/N), I’ve heard a lot about you,” said James cheerfully from the phone.

“All good things I hope.”

“Mostly,” he said making us chuckle, “Harry, the reason why I called is that I’ve got a huge favor to ask of you.”

“Shoot, mate.”

“My guest for the show tonight just went into labor and she’s obviously not going to make it for the show. Would you be willing to help me out and fill in for her tonight?”

“Tonight?” asked Harry.

“I know it’s late notice but you’ve been on the show before so you know what to expect. I wouldn’t be asking if I wasn’t desperate.”

“Desperate? Am I a last resort?” teased Harry, winking at me.

“Never, Harry. You’re my number 3 on my shag list.” We both burst out laughing at that.

“I don't see why not, but I can’t leave (Y/N) by herself.”

Before I could say I could spend the night at Perrie’s, James spoke up, “She can be a guest too!”

What.

“Perfect,” agreed Harry.

“Can you be here within the hour?”

“We’ll leave now,” said Harry.

“Great! See you two soon!”

“Cheers,” said Harry as James hung up the phone.

“Harry, I’m gonna be on television?” I asked excited.

“Looks like it,” he smiled, “Go get your coat, I’m going to notify management.”

I ran into my room and grabbed my coat and gloves. I threw on my skinny jeans and gasped. “Harry! What am I going to wear!?”

“They give you clothes and they’ll make you look pretty, let’s go!”

“Okay!” I said rushing out of the room, "What do you mean 'make me look pretty?' If I recall correctly, you called me beautiful a few minutes ago."

He took my chin between his long fingers, "Prettier than normal, if that's possible."

My smile was so wide it almost hurt, "Now I see why they call you the charmer of the group."

He smiled back at me, "C'mon, we need to leave."

We flew down the stairs, avoiding the worn out stair, and Harry ushered me towards the back of the building. He removed a tarp and there was a new black motorcycle.

“I’m not getting on that thing,” I informed him as he handed me a black helmet.

“It’s too late to call a car, (Y/N),” he said, putting on a similar helmet. It covered his head and the lower half of his face, only showing only his eyes.

“But it’s winter,” I said, looking toward the door.

“Do you trust me?” he asked, extending his hand. I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Do not pull that Aladdin shit with me, of course I trust you,” I put on the helmet and sat behind him on the bike, “It’s your knack for falling over I don’t trust.”

“Hold on tight,” he said as he started the engine of the bike. As soon as I heard that growl of the motor, I wrapped my arms around his torso and squeezed tight. After a few minutes of the bike warming up, he gave the engine a good rev and started forward toward the open side of the building facing the street.

It was freezing. The wind howled and if it weren’t for the visor on the helmet I wouldn’t have been able to see. Harry wore his aviators and I knew why as soon as my vision started to fog from my breath. We rode into the city and people stared at us like we were crazy. We were, riding a motorcycle in the middle of December, but it was the fastest way to get to the studio. I was thankful I wore my gloves, otherwise my fingers would have numbed long ago from the sheer cold that was the wind against us. I heard Harry yell something, but it was muffled by the wind.

“WHAT?” I yelled.

“WE’RE ALMOST THERE,” he bellowed, “HOW ARE YOU DOING?”

“I’M FINE!” I was not fine and I needed a hot cup of tea that very moment.

We pulled into the studio and being stuck to Harry’s back the entire time made it hard to pry myself away, like I was frozen to him. I wouldn’t be surprised if I was. Studio workers ushered Harry and I to a warm and food filled green room. We both filled a cup of hot tea and warmed ourselves up.

“That was rough,” croaked Harry, sipping his tea.

“I’ll say. You blocked most of the wind for me but it was so cold,” I shivered, blowing on my tea.

Finally, after ten minutes, James Cordon came into the room to greet us. Harry gave him a big hug and he shook my hand and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

“Lovely to finally meet you,” he said, making me smile wide, “I heard you two came in on a bloody motorcycle. I could have sent a car.” Harry looked at him wide eyed and I turned to Harry.

“You said it was too late to call for a car.”

James laughed as I smacked Harry’s arm. He couldn’t feel it because of the layers, but he knew he was in trouble.

“Thanks, James,” groaned Harry.

“Not my fault you’re a wanker all because you wanted to ride that thing,” retorted James, “C’mon you two, let’s get you cleaned up for the show.”

The studio was bustling as I was led to my dressing room. While they found clothes for me to wear they filled me in on what was planned for the show that night. They found a pair of lilac colored skinny jeans with a beautiful white flowing shirt that made my arms and hands look thin. They gave me a white flowery necklace to wear with matching earrings. My hair was braided into a headband across the front where my fringe was and gave my hair volume behind it, making it look very cute. After my makeup was done, I put on my ankle high brown boots that laced in the front. I looked stunning. Why couldn’t I have a team doll me up like this every day?

I was reunited with Harry, who was wearing a jean fabric shirt that broadened his shoulders nicely. He had on nice black skinnys with no holes in them, for once, and his hair was quiffed at the top like usual. He left it unbuttoned a bit, showig just enough chest and his necklaces clinked lightly as he made his way over to me. Harry always looked nice to me, but something about how he looked tonight made my mouth water and my heart palpitate.

“Hey,” he greeted, “you look fantastic!”

“Thanks, dude, so do you,” I smiled.

“Harry, (Y/N), we’re going to need you to step back here behind this line. When you’re introduced, I’ll cue you both to go on. Places! We’re on in five!”

I started to get nervous, as if butterflies were let loose in my stomach, and Harry could see it. He swooped his big hand over and took mine in his. He bent his head toward my ear.

“You’re going to do great,” he whispered, “they’re going to love you.”

I looked up into his eyes, looking for evidence he was telling the truth. The look he gave me was all I needed. As long as Harry was with me, I’d be fine.

Everything went black and James Cordon was announced and the airing of A League of Their Own started. I heard the audience applaud and I squeezed Harry’s hand. He squeezed back and moved his hand from mine to my back, “Ready?”

I nodded.

“Ladies and Gentleman, thank you so much! As you probably already know, Kate Winslet couldn’t be here tonight due to the fact that she’s currently giving birth. We’re sending all our thoughts and prayers to a safe and healthy delivery. Even though she isn’t here we’ve got amazing guests with us tonight! Please welcome One Direction's Harry Styles and his best friend (Y/F/N)!”

Harry walked us out and at the sound of his name the place roared with applause. A huge smile plastered my face as we walked down the steps to the stage. Girls were reaching for Harry and it seemed like forever until we finally reached the platform where James was waiting to greet us. I sat in between Harry and a very handsome gentleman named Jamie who I was more than happy to hug in greeting.

The show was filled with British celebrities who, unfortunately, I was not familiar with but soon the conversation was steered towards Harry. His “love for older women” did not take very long to be brought up which I could tell bothered him but it was a joke, all in good fun. A man named Jack Whitehall made me laugh so hard when he mentioned Harry being “one of the greatest swordsman of our time” and I couldn’t contain myself. Freddie Flintoff and Sara Cox were on Jack’s team against myself, Harry, and Jamie. After everyone was introduced James spoke to me.

“So, (Y/N), you and Harry are best mates, yeah?”

“Yeah, I’d say so,” I said.

“Oh my God! She’s American!” exclaimed Jack causing everyone to laugh, “There’s an American among us!” After the crowd died down James continued.

“So you are American?”

“Yes,” I replied with a ‘guilty’ look.

“So how did you two meet then?”

I told a shortened version of how we met and Harry would chime in. We made everyone “Aww” more than once and it was strange telling our story to a crowd, let alone thousands of viewers.

“So you’re _just_ friends?” asked Freddie.

I smiled and nodded, “Yes, just friends.”

“Mmm, good. You’re too cute to be dating this one,” he said referring to Harry. My eyes widened and my mouth dropped a bit. The crowd laughed and oo-ed. Then Harry called Freddie out on his boxing skills, I’m guessing as retaliation, which sort of caught me off guard. He and Freddie bantered back and forth, Harry being cheeky and adorable while the older man bit his cheek.

We began to play a game of true or false and there were cards placed in front of our team. We would read a sentence about ourselves and it was up to the other team to guess if it was true or false. Jamie’s was about football and they had guessed correctly. Harry’s was about his card being denied when he went to buy One Direction’s album. I knew it was true because he texted me about it making me almost pee myself from laughing so hard. While they were guessing, Jack said he could probably kiss his finger, point at a woman’s pussy, and get whatever he wanted. Everyone laughed and, feeling brave, I chimed in saying, “It’s true. I’ve seen it,” making everyone laugh even harder. Finally my turn came up and my eyes widened with what it said.

“Alright, (Y/N), your turn if you please?”

I paused, “I, uh…I don’t think I want to read it,” I said placing it back down. Everyone laughed.

“Why not?” asked James. I sighed. Here we go.

“Fine,” I sighed, “I’ve kissed a member of One Direction.”

The crowd woo-ed and Harry turned to look at me. I looked at the other team when they started to ask questions.

“I’m gonna say false,” said Freddie.

“Why?” asked Sara.

“Well, look at her. She looks so wholesome, I don’t think the boys would lay a finger on her, especially since she and Harry are so close.”

“He does have a point, but that’s _nothing!_ She could be a closeted pervert for all we know.”

I burst out laughing and I could hear Harry laugh and say “Hey.”

Sara and Freddie went with false while Jack went with true. I flipped the card over and it said True. I hid my face behind the card while the whole audience cheered.

“I KNEW IT!” exclaimed Jack.

“Who did you kiss!?” asked James, “Was it you, Harry?”

“No, no,” said Harry, shaking his head, “Not since we were kids.”

My eyes widened as the audience became louder. This was such a scandal. I swatted his arm, giving him a look that said, ‘What the fuck are you doing!?’

“So you two _have_ kissed?” asked James.

“When we were _four_ ,” I interjected, trying to save face.

“So it was Harry then,” said James.

“Niall too,” stated Harry, causing an uproar again.

“ _I KNEW IT!_ ” yelled Jack again.

“It was a dare!” I exclaimed, hiding my face. Harry hugged me and I said, “Don’t touch me you traitor.”

“Well, a dare doesn’t count,” said James but Jack chimed, “It depends! Was there tongue?”

“No,” I reassured.

“Oh, that’s no fun,” he said quieting down.

“How many times?” asked Freddie.

“I-“

“Twice,” said Harry. I finally put my hand over his mouth to say SHUT THE FUCK UP.

“ _Twice!_ Well, shit!” exclaimed James.

“He snuck the second one ‘cause he was being cheeky, that’s all,” I said trying to calm the crowd, “Nothing’s going on between us.”

“ _Right,_ ” said James, wiggling his eyebrows, “Moving on!”

Our team had to guess who, between James and Jack, won a free throw competition. During the video, James failed in a chest bump. He then had us chest bump the other players. First it was Jamie and Jack, then Freddie and Harry. He almost knocked Harry off his feet and I heard him get the wind knocked out of him. As I got up to chest bump Sara, I made sure he was okay.

“What a good friend,” said James, “how sweet.”

Sara and I chest bumped, cradling our boobs afterward, causing a good laugh. We continued on with the game and James showed a clip of the kiss cam at the basketball game they attended.

“So we decided that we would have our very own kiss cam!” announced James. Everyone cheered as James continued, “Every kiss on the camera will donate 600 pounds to St. Jude’s Hospital! Are we up for this, audience?” The crowd cheered and the music started. Every couple kissed, young and old, even same sex! James and Jack even kissed, making everyone hoop and holler. Then Harry moved from his chair…into my lap.

“Harry?” I asked, wondering what he was doing.

“It’s for charity, (Y/N), don’t hate me.”

Before I knew what was going on, the lighting turned to us and I turned to see we were on screen. He placed his hand on the side of my face, I looked up into his eyes and time stopped. The music was muffled in my ears as Harry’s face got closer to mine.

Everything in my head was screaming STOP! YOU NEED TO STOP! But my body wouldn’t listen. I was being drawn to him. His full plump lips puckered slightly and before I could react, time seemed to slow down.

Harry’s eyes were half lidded when I closed my eyes and I felt him push his soft lips against mine.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading and supporting! I got so many comments and messages about the last chapter! It was awesome! 
> 
> Come visit my personal tumblr here: http://spring1924.tumblr.com/
> 
> If you like imagines and one shots of 1D come visit here: http://1dboysimagines.tumblr.com/ 
> 
> I'm on a road trip right now so I'll fix this chapter later with all the italics and stuff but for now I hope you all enjoy! :)

We were kissing.

In front of a studio audience and thousands of viewers, Harry and I were kissing.

After nine years of wanting to kiss Harry I was finally doing it. And it was for charity. Bonus points.

It was a beautifully chaste kiss. Everything around me blurred and all I could focus on were how smooth his lips were against mine. I knew they’d be soft but I didn’t think they’d be so plump and warm. I could stay in this moment forever. Screw the show, just let me stay here. 

I then felt a burst of air against my lips as Harry let a laugh escape him, shaking me from my daze. We broke apart and looked at each other. His eyes were bright, almost as if he was eleven again, as we burst out laughing and he kissed my temple, returning to his seat. 

After the crowd died down, I grabbed my card from earlier and fanned myself making everyone laugh. 

“How was that then, (Y/N)?” asked James, chuckling.

“Can I get pregnant from that?” I asked, out of breath, making the audience, James, his guests, and Harry laugh.

“We’ll go to Tesco’s and get a quicky test,” said Jack.

We continued the game and guessed that James and Jack had a draw in the free throw competition. Apparently, the two went into sudden death because it was in fact a draw. We got the points but it turns out Jack won the shot, looking very much like a ballerina when he did. 

Finally, we went to commercial break. I turned to Harry.

“What the fuck was that?”

Harry pursed her lips before he spoke, “I’m sorry, (Y/N), James thought it would be a fun idea and, I mean, earlier you said if I was going to kiss you, I should just do it, right?”

I looked at him dumbfounded. Oh my God.

“And since it was you I thought it would be okay,” he said, looking uneasy.

It was better than okay, “You and I both are going to get shit for this,” I sighed, putting my head against the table in front of us.

“Sorry,” he said again, going to get up.

“Hang on,” I said, grabbing his arm. He sat back down and gave me his full attention, “I’m not gonna freak out over this, Harry. It was a kiss, no big deal. And it was with you, my best and oldest friend. I know I freaked out about kissing you when we had that campfire   
but I don’t regret kissing you and I never will. I’m not going to make it awkward if you don’t,” I finished, blushing.

He smiled at me, “This is why I’m grateful we’re friends,” he said, patting my hand, “I’m gonna get a drink of water. You want one?”

“After that steamy kiss, I could use a jug,” I said jokingly which made him cackle.

The show continued after the commercial break and James drew the attention back to Harry and I, “Welcome back, now we’re going to play a game, this one’s for Harry and (Y/N), We’re going to ask each other questions and one of you will write down your answers. After doing so, your teammate will guess what they have written. Are you ready?”

“Let’s do this,” said Harry.

“Yeah, okay,” I said getting up with him.

“Joining you will be myself and Jack. I will be standing in for Jack’s team while we play. The winning team earns bonus points for your team.”

“Sounds good,” I said, taking my seat next to Harry.

“Let’s begin! Harry and (Y/N) first. You two can choose who writes and who guesses first.” Harry let me go first so I took the marker and waited for the prompt. “Okay, first question, what is something about Harry that you find annoying?” I wrote down, out of Harry’s sight. “Alright, Harry, the answer?”

“It’s either the fact that I always know how she’s feeling, even though she tries to hide it,” the audience aww-ed but he gave me a look saying I’m always right, “or that I started wearing headscarves,” laughter followed after his statement.

I gave him a look of utter disbelief at what he said, “And the answer is…?” I turned it and it said Headscarves, earning us the point.

“Way to get deep there, bud,” I whispered. Harry shrugged.

“Next question,” announced James, “who is (Y/N)’s celebrity crush?”

“What?” I questioned James, “I don’t want him knowing I like him! What if he’s watching the show?” 

“Oh, Niall won’t mind,” joked Jack. 

“Ha ha,” I mocked laughter as I wrote down my answer.

“Okay, Harry, who is (Y/N)’s celebrity crush?”

“James McAvoy.”

I giggled when I turned the board around and revealed that it was indeed James McAvoy. 

“James McAvoy? Not some buff American movie star?”

“He’s so dreamy, I can’t,” I said, hiding my face.

“You should have seen her when we watched X-men First Class,” he said, motioning to his mouth, “Drool was everywhere. It got on the couch.”

“Are you sure that was drool?” 

I laughed incredibly hard at Jack’s question. Harry’s eyebrows furrowed at him and he pointed saying, “Enough of that,” making me laugh harder.

“Okay, okay, last question,” laughed James, changing the topic, “What is (Y/N)’s deepest desire?”

“Deepest desire?” I laughed, “Excuse me are we in a fairy tale or something?”

The audience laughed lightly and James chuckled, “I’m just reading what the card says, darling.”

I looked down at the white board in front of me. My deepest desire…

I wanted to feel Harry’s lips against mine once more. I wanted to feel the rush of adrenaline as his soft and plump lips met mine. I wanted to feel his strong arms pin me into him as he parted his smooth lips and sucked at my bottom lip. To feel his tongue-

“Having a bit of trouble, (Y/N)?”

My thoughts were interrupted when I realized I still hadn’t written anything down. Panicking, I wrote down the first thing that came to my mind, “Sorry! Sorry.”

“Alright, Harry, what is (Y/N)’s deepest desire?”

I looked to Harry who was giving me a smirk. His eyes met mine and I couldn’t help but notice the cheekiness showing in his features. It was if he was thinking, ‘I know exactly what she wants.’

Sweet Jesus, I needed an ice bath.

“Lilac hair.”

I let out a breath and sighed in relief. I turned the board to reveal that I had in fact written ‘lilac hair.’

“Get in!” cheered Harry as he held out his hand to be high fived. I connected our hands and smiled at him as James continued.

“Lilac hair? Really?”

“Yeah,” I admitted, “I-“

“When we were young, our mums took us shopping in London to visit her Da at work,” Harry explained. “We saw this tattoo shop and there was a woman with light purple hair and she shouted, “’Mommy! I want that hair!’ And her mum was horrified. I still remember her face when she said it.”

I blushed as everyone laughed once again. I looked at Harry who was beaming at me. I gave him a loving smile. I couldn’t believe he remembered that.

Next was Jack and James at the guessing game. James guessed two out of three right for Jack’s questions, causing some banter to happen between the two. My turn to answer questions came next. 

“Alright, (Y/N), first question: When Harry is away from home, on tour, what does he miss the most?”

Harry wrote down his answer and then I spoke, “Well, I would say me, but when he and the lads are in America he’s dragging me all over the place…so I would say his stuffed bear that his mom gave him when we were little, Beary.”

The audience aww-ed as Harry turned the board around to reveal the word Beary.

“You don’t spell it B-a-r-r-y?” asked Jack.

“I was five! Give me a break. My creativity was not up to par.”

I giggled as James read the next question, “What is Harry’s deepest desire?”

He wrote and I said, “Easy. If he could have anything he wanted, he’d go to Hogwarts.”

He smiled and turned the board to reveal the words ‘Go to Hogwarts.’

“James! Give them harder questions! They’re kicking our arses!” complained Jack.

“Last question! What is Harry’s most embarrassing moment?”

The crowd waited in anxiousness to hear the most embarrassing moment of Harry’s life. As soon as he was done writing he looked at me. I gave him a Cheshire cat smile as he sighed, “Go for it.”

“When we were young, he asked me what a tampon was! I didn’t answer so he went and asked his mom. She then sat him down and basically explained everything about the female anatomy to him. He wouldn’t look at me for a week straight!”

The audience erupted in laughter and cheered when Harry turned the board and the only word on there was ‘tampon.’ I clapped my hands and hugged him around the neck.

“This is awful,” he said against my ear. I felt bad for him so I kissed him on the temple and rubbed his back. When he looked at my face, he smiled so wide I thought his cheeks were going to split. 

After James and Jack answered their final questions, the results came out that we had won by two points. After a few more games, our team ended up winning and Harry wrapped his arms around me and spun around in a circle. My cheeks rested against his shoulders as my feet dangled in the air. Our teammate, Jamie, high fived and hugged us both after Harry put me down. The show finished airing and we were escorted backstage to our dressing rooms. James came in when they were grabbing our coats.

“That was bloody brilliant! Harry, thank you so much for coming and doing the show. I knew I could rely on you, mate,” he exclaimed, shaking Harry’s hand and giving him a big hug.

“Anytime, James, I’d be happy to fill in anytime. I know Liam and Zayn have wanted to come on the show since last time.”

“By all means!” said James excitedly. He then turned to me, “(Y/N),” he said taking my hand, “It was an absolute pleasure to meet you. You are as lovely and beautiful as I’ve heard. I’m sorry if the jokes or questions got too personal.”

“Oh no! Not at all,” I reassured, “If they were I wouldn’t have answered. Thank you so much for having me on your show. It was so much fun and it really was an honor.”

“You are welcome back anytime,” smiled James, giving me a good squeeze when he hugged me, “We must get together for a drink soon. Harry?”

“Absolutely,” agreed Harry, holding out my coat for me to slip my arms into. After I bundled up, he handed me my gloves.

“We can escort you home,” offered James, “You don’t have to brave the cold again on that bike of yours.”

“Don’t spoil me of my fun, James,” said Harry as he made his way toward the door. James looked to me and I shrugged.

“His place, his rules I guess,” I said as I followed behind him.

“I’ll be seeing you both at the gala then?” he asked.

“Yep! See you there, mate,” said Harry as he took my hand and led me out the door.

We walked to the garages, my hand still grasped in his glove. We found his bike and assumed our earlier positions. I wrapped my hands around his torso after I put my helmet on.

“Ready?” he said loudly, revving the engine.

“Ready when you are!” I yelled back as the bike began to move and we took off into the street. 

The cold air hit me like a smack to the face. A light snow fell during the ride back. The lights of London lit up the streets as we began our trip back. The engines warmed my calves as Harry maneuvered the motorcycle through traffic. We crossed the bridge to get to the other side of the river where Harry’s apartment secretly resided. I looked out onto the river and saw the city reflected off its black surface. Seeing the lights and the snowfall reminded me that Christmas was almost here. 

I then began to remember Christmas’ with Harry and his family. After Christmas Mass, we’d celebrate at each other’s houses, switching off every year. We’d host Christmas parties where Harry and I would sing carols and serenade our respective relatives. We would always end with ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ earning a standing ovation. I smiled at the memory of warm fires that we would fall asleep in front of. The first of us to rise would wake the other and I would start off our tradition of saying “Happy Christmas, Harry!” to which he would respond, “Happy Christmas, Ron!” Even when we were away and had to skype, every Christmas we’d repeat those lines from the classic Harry Potter movie. 

We arrived at Harry’s flat and quickly parked and ran up the old staircase to get inside.

“We’re never doing that again!” I said, teeth still chattering.

“I wanted to take it out and give it some use, (Y/N),” said Harry, hanging up his coat.

“In the middle of winter? Harry,” I groaned.

“Well, now we’re home. We can take a car next time,” he said rubbing both my arms up and down.

“Quick! Get me a blanket! I might freeze!”

“Don’t you want some tea first?” laughed Harry as I shivered, but not from the cold.

“Yes! Put the kettle on, please, and then grab a blanket from your room and meet me on the couch,” I said, moving so his touch fell from my arms as I made my way to the couch.

“Alright,” he chuckled and went into the kitchen to put on the kettle. I watched him walk from the kitchen to the hallway. I looked from his broad shoulders to his narrow waist and admired his build. What happened to the lanky eleven year old who could barely stand on his feet without tripping over them?

I saw the light from his room flicker on and heard him shuffle about. He came back with a fleece blanket that I immediately recognized, “Oh my gosh…I remember this blanket. It was my favorite to cuddle with when I went over to your house,” I snuggled into it, “I can’t believe you still have it.”

“After being away for so long, it’s nice to have something that reminds me of home,” he sighed, sitting on the couch. I unfolded it and held it open.

“I’m freezing, get in here.”

Harry pulled the blanket over his body and pulled my legs with it. They were settled over his lap while I laid the side of my head against the couch, “The show was so much fun.”

Harry smiled at me, “They asked a lot of questions.”

I looked down at my lap, “…I’m sorry. You’ve got enough of your personal life out in the open. You didn’t need me to say all that during the show.”

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I told the world about your little rendezvous with Niall.”

Oh yeah.

“We’re going to get such shit for this,” I groaned, laying my head back against the couch. The kettle started to whistle and Harry got up to make us some tea. When he came back, he handed me my cup and I set it down waiting for it to cool. He situated himself like before and continued our conversation.

“Now the world knows I didn’t know what a tampon was,” sighed Harry, resting the back of his head against the top of the couch.

“James McAvoy probably knows I’m obsessed with him.”

“Beary…oh I’m gonna get the mickey out of me for Beary.”

We both sat in silence. I was warming up by the second when I felt Harry brush his fingers over my calves. They were light strokes, so light that they were barely there. It reminded me of his lips, ghosting over my own before he connected them earlier in the evening.

Wait.

That actually happened.

OH GOD.

THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED!

I must have tensed because he drew his fingers away, “Sorry, (Y/N), I know you said you wouldn’t freak out, but I swear to you, I didn’t mean to take advantage of you. That…uh…that kiss, I-“

Adrenaline rushed through my veins as I seized his sharp jaw in my hands. I cupped his face and brought it down to meet mine. I pursed my lips and kissed him, right on the lips. I had to kiss him. I needed to kiss him. I got a taste earlier and I craved more. My mind could only think ‘yes’ while my heart pumped quickly. I felt him breathe out and the air from his nostrils ghosted over my upper lip. I pulled away and my lips felt a bit cold because he wet my lips. He opened his eyes wide and I pursed my lips, looking a bit expectant.

“…(Y/N)…that was-“

“Payback for earlier,” I said, moving off the couch, unable to look him in the eye. I just kissed Harry for the second time in one night, this time initiated it, and I was feeling light headed. I suddenly felt my wrist become engulfed in one of his huge hands and I was yanked back. My body whirled around and I caught myself, hands pressed against his chest. Harry was now standing and looking down at me. 

“You know,” he breathed, hand still wrapped around my wrist, “when I kissed you, I said I was sorry…” He used his other hand to direct my face to his, “But now you’re just asking for it.”

“Har-mmph!” Harry closed our lips together and cradled my cheek with his other hand.

I could not believe this was reality. Harry was kissing me, without the pressure of a charity or a show, and it was…wow…

He broke the kiss slowly, our lips sticking together just a bit, and they lingered in the small space between us. My cheek and wrist still in his hands.

“Your move,” he murmured.

 

My eyes widened and my mouth opened the slightest. He was treating this like banter! As if he was trying to get the last word in. He was challenging me! Well, if he was looking for a fight, he was going to get one. 

“I am not playing this game with you, Harry Styles,” I said, taking his hand off my cheek and walking away from the one around my wrist. I made my way to the hallway and towards my room, “You always have to win don’t you?”

I felt his presence behind me as he followed, “No, wait, (Y/N) I didn’t-“

“No, you didn’t,” I said, reeling on him and making him back against the wall, “You didn’t think that maybe, just maybe...”

I gave him a chaste kiss on the mouth.

“I would have the upper hand.”

Harry said nothing.

“For once,” I finished.

Harry’s clenched his jaw and, before I could hide in my room and lock the door, he grabbed me and hauled me into the air, making his way toward his room. I yelped and cried out, demanding he put me down, but I couldn’t help but laugh. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I was so ecstatic. He plopped me down onto the bed and I bounced a bit before he blocked me in with his body above mine.

“You have the upper hand?” asked Harry in the most seductive voice I had ever heard him use, “Darling, that hasn’t happened since we were children.”

I felt a burning heat in my lower stomach from his low and husky voice as Harry finally captured my mouth with his once more. I had never felt such heat from a kiss before. It was due to my love for Harry, I knew that as he breathed through the kiss.

My mind was fuzzy, my heart was racing, and I felt my skin tingle from his touch as he moved his long fingers against my sides. I moved to wrap my arms and pull him in closer to deepen the kiss when his phone buzzed on his bedside dresser. I gasped in shock and my eyes opened. I saw that his eyes were open too and I laughed against his lips, causing him to laugh as well.

“Are you gonna get that?” I asked, giggling.

“Well, seeing as I won,” he mocked, using the length of his arm to grab his phone. He unlocked the screen and gave an unreadable look at the phone.

“What is it?” I asked, plucking it from his hand. 

“Wait!”

I looked at the screen and saw it was a text from Samantha. It was a picture of her with her dress for the gala. It was a beautiful golden gown, with shimmers and sparkles waterfalling down the long fabric. It was a stunning gown.

But what stunned me wasn’t the gown.

She was sitting on her bed, in nothing but her panties. Her chest was exposed, her boobs a bit bigger than average. Her platinum blonde hair was voluminous and she had a pout on her lips.

Samantha: Do you like my dress? ;)

My eyes widened in sheer horror. Oh my God. I had completely forgotten about Samantha. Here I was, on Harry’s bed, kissing him, while Samantha sent semi-nude shots to Harry, the boy she was currently seeing. 

Seeing that I was panicking, Harry tried to calm me, “(Y/N), (Y/N), look at me! It’s not-“

“Get off me!” I screamed, shoving against him. He stood his ground however, and wouldn’t let me budge.

“(Y/N), listen to me!”

Tears welled in my eyes as I fought against his hold. I can’t believe I let him take advantage of me, make a fool of me! I let this go too far. This wasn’t how I wanted this to happen at all. Ineeded to calm down. I needed to think. Most of all, I needed to get out of here.

“Let me explain, please, I-“

“Harry.”

He stopped speaking and I lightly pushed against him so he would let me sit up. Once I was seated, I calmly said, “I…I need to go to bed.”

“(Y/N)-“

I put a hand against his chest, “I’ll let you explain everything tomorrow, but now…right now, I need to go to bed.” I got up and moved towards the door.

“You said you wouldn’t freak out.”

I turned back and saw Harry sitting on the bed with a look, almost as if he was pleading.

“That’s why I need to go to bed. Now. Or I’m gonna freak out,” I grabbed the door knob, “We’ll talk in the morning.”

Harry’s lips moved into a thin line and his eyebrows furrowed, “…Fine.”

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, “…Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

I left the room and closed the door. I hurried to my room and locked the door behind me. Tears ran down my face and it contorted in the ugliest way as my emotions took over. A breathy sob escaped from me as I changed into my pajamas. I was too upset to wash my face or brush my teeth, I would do it in the morning. I arranged the pillows on my barely used bed to surround me as I buried my face into the closest one near my head and, as quietly as possible, cried myself to sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone,
> 
> I am so so sorry I am so late with this update. I'm going back to school soon so I have to pack and I've been pretty under the weather lately as well. Basically, my life's been pretty hectic so sorry again and I hope you enjoy the chapter.
> 
> Come visit my tumblr here: http://spring1924.tumblr.com/
> 
> If you like this story or imagines with the boys come visit here: http://1dboysimagines.tumblr.com/

I woke up with a start to the sound of a text message. I groaned, and felt around for my phone with my eyes still closed. They felt dry and swollen due to the fact that I cried myself to sleep the night before. My fingers found the smooth texture of my phone case and I cracked my eyes open a sliver to read the message.

_Hello my love! I'm on my way to pick you up to pick out dresses for the gala~!!! I'll be there soon. Xx._

Shit. I forgot Perrie was taking me with the girls to go shopping. Perrie, Jesy, Leigh-Anne, and Jade were going to see me in this state. I had to hurry and shower and find suitable clothes to wear SHIT.

I got out of bed and tripped on my suit case. I caught myself on the dresser but knocked over a frame which made a loud crash. I got up, thankfully not hurt, but then there was a knock on my door. I whipped my head and my heart dropped. Shit. Harry and I were supposed to talk.

"(Y/N), it's morning. Can we talk now?"

"Just a sec," I exclaimed, picking up the fallen frame and trying to figure out a plan to get ready and talk to Harry at the same time. I opened the door and saw a very disheveled Harry. Whoa.

"Hey," he croaked, morning voice quite evident. He had dark circles under his eyes and he looked incredibly tired.

"Hey," I responded, "did you get any sleep?"

"Honestly? No, I didn't," he said scratching the back of his head, "I couldn't sleep so I went to the roof and watched the lights."

"Oh," I said, not really knowing what else to say.

"Can we sit and talk?"

I bit my bottom lip and looked down at the time on my phone, "We gotta make it quick. Perrie's on her way to pick me up."

"What? Why?" He asked seeming annoyed.

"To get our dresses for the gala?" I said, reminding him of what needed to be done, "I need to let Niall know what color I'm wearing so he can match."

Harry's eyes turned dark and his eyebrows furrowed, "I think this is more important than shopping for some fucking gala."

"I know, Harry, I know," I said trying to calm him down, "but Perrie's already on her way with the girls and I have to shower and get ready. Can we reschedule? Maybe talk over dinner when I get back?"

"No, we can't _reschedule!_ Just tell Perrie you'll meet her later!"

"But she's probably already half way here, Harry!"

He held my arms in his oversized hands and held me in place, "(Y/N), we need to talk before-"

Knock knock knock.

We both looked toward to door. Dang, Perrie was fast. Harry growled, which caught me off guard, and strode towards the door, locking it.

"Harry!"

"She can wait five fucking minutes," said Harry, coming back over to me, "Now you're going to listen to what I have to say, right now."

I leaned back against the wall of the hallway, "Okay, Harry. I'm sorry. I'm listening."

Harry's furrowed eyebrows relaxed a bit now that he knew I was going to hear him out, "I didn't know Sam was going to send me that photo. I would never have shown that to you...considering what we were doing last night."

My cheeks warmed at the memory of us in Harry's bedroom, “Yeah, it is a bit awkward when you’re snogging your best friend while the person you’re seeing sends you nudes.”

“We didn’t snog,” said Harry, eyes returning to their child-like gleam.

“Then what _did_ we do last night?” I asked, getting frustrated and putting my hands on my hips.

“We kissed,” he said, inching his body towards mine in the darkened hallway, “There was no tongue, so it wasn’t a snog.”

I looked up at him, unamused, “Are you fucking serious?”

“Language,” he said, moving another inch.

“You just said it two seconds ago!”

“I-“

The door knocked again and I broke eye contact and looked at the living room.

"Eyes forward, (Y/N),” He took my chin in his hands and made me face him again, “We've got to work on that problem of yours. It's rude to look away when someone's talking to you," he said in a deep, serious voice.

My eyes widened and I squeaked, "Sorry." When did he get so close?

"It's not that I wanted to hide that picture from you because I was trying to be sneaky. I didn't want you to see it because I knew you'd get the wrong idea."

Now my eyebrows furrowed, "The wrong idea about what?"

Finally, the person behind the door began to pound on it and yelled, "Harry! I know you're in there! I'm going to get hypothermia!"

My heart fell through my body when I heard that familiar voice. Harry groaned and yelled, "Just a second!" He cupped my face in his hands and looked me in the eye, "I'll explain later. For now though, please, _trust me_. Okay?"

I was very confused. He didn't want me to see the picture because he didn't want me to get the wrong idea. But the only way I could get the 'wrong idea' is if they weren't actually seeing each other. Now that she was on his door step calling out his name that seemed to be saying the opposite.

I sighed and covered his hands with my own, "Okay, fine, I trust you."

Harry smiled with...relief? He exhaled, gave my cheek a wet kiss, and pulled my body into his. We collided and I could feel the warmth of his face burrowing into my hair, behind my ear. I was shocked but my muscles relaxed and I melted into his embrace. His strong arms held me close and secure, like if I went pliant, they'd hold me up and keep me safe from everything. The hug was...very sweet. It was like I could feel love enter my body from his. It was very cheesy to think about but that was the only way I could describe it.

I pulled away and murmured, "You better get that. She really might freeze out there." Harry pursed his lips and his long legs carried him to the door. He unlocked it, opened it, and in came Samantha, in all her glory.

"Hazza!" She exclaimed, dropping all her things and leaping into him. He barely caught her and she crashed her lips onto his. She moaned and opened her mouth, trying to make out with him and the door wasn't even closed yet.

 _'Trust him, (Y/N)_ ,' I reminded myself _, '_ _You said you would.'_

Harry pulled away and looked down at her, "Uh, hi Sam," he said, putting her feet on the ground, "What are you doing here? I thought we were going to meet up tomorrow before the gala."

"I couldn't wait any longer to see you," she whined, running a long slender hand down his chest, "I missed you."

"Why did you bring all your things?" he asked. That was a good question.

"Because I'm going to stay with you!"

Nope, over my dead body.

"Um, I'm staying in the guest room," I spoke up. She finally noticed my presence.

"Oh," she said, looking me up and down, "I didn't even see you there."

 _‘I’ve seen you almost naked,’_ I thought. Her tone of voice reminded me that I was still disheveled and in my pajamas. She looked like she was ready to hit Sunset Boulevard. Great.

"Hi, how are you?" I said, trying to be civil.

"Good, I guess, now that I'm _home_ ," she squealed, wrapping her arms around Harry's torso and giving him another peck on the lips.

I was very unamused. It was like she was _trying_ to display their affection towards each other...well, her affection. I couldn’t take any of this. I was going to explode. I left the room, changed from my sleep shorts to my skinny jeans, grabbed Harry's beanie, my scarf, gloves, purse, and coat and made for the door.

"Whoa, hold on there, (Y/N)," said Harry, stopping me before I could reach the exit, "Where are you going?”

I turned and said nonchalantly, "Pez is here. I'm leaving and won't be back till late, _if_ I come back tonight. Have fun."

"Wait, wait," he said stopping me again. I looked at him apathetically and he fixed my scarf around my neck, laying my hair nicely over it. He zipped up my coat and made sure his beanie covered my ears. He smiled while he touched his beanie which, unfortunately, made me smile. Damn him.

The moment was ruined when Samantha came back and hugged him from behind and whispered, just loud enough, "Harry~ I brought the _extra large_ box of rubbers for our alone time."

I was gonna be sick.

"Alright, then. I'll see you later. Maybe," I said, opening the door to the cold. I was feeling somewhat- scratch that, I was 100% jealous that this girl got to touch Harry freely, with no excuses or awkwardness, and that she was flaunting it in front of me. Because of this, I had no remorse in saying, "By the way, before I go, Samantha? I love your dress for the gala. Can't wait to see what it looks like when you actually have it on." Her eyes widened and I smiled, closing the door. That'll teach the both of them.

I hurried down the stairs and I forgot about the old stair, stepping on it. It didn't break, thank goodness, but it caved immensely and I hurried to sit out front and wait for Perrie. Of course I lied that she arrived. I needed to get out of there because my frustration was peaking. Harry was lucky that was all I said before I left. After seven minutes, a black Escalade pulled up and Jesy rolled down the window, "Get in, loser, we're going shopping!" I laughed and climbed into the car, getting warm.

Jesy was driving and Perrie sat with her in the front. Jade sat next to me in the middle while Leigh-Anne sat in the middle in the back. We drove off and I was surprised to see the girls were without their body guards.

"No security today, ladies?" I asked.

"Not where we're going," chimed Perrie.

I pulled myself up in between the two seats, "Where _are_ we going?"

"The gala is giving us dresses for free!" exclaimed Jade. I turned to her, "A new line of Christmas dresses came out from all these different top brand clothing lines. You name it, it's there. We're going to the plaza and we get to pick out which dress we like best!"

"If they’re not already taken!" announced Leigh-Anne from the back.

"We would have gone sooner, but Jade and Jesy had plans before we could go," Perrie informed me.

"If those skinny bitches already have the dress I want I'll be _pissed!_ "

I laughed at Leigh-Anne's feisty attitude, "So any dress we want, we get for free? Seriously?"

"Yeah!" said Jesy giving a cool smile, "it's because we're advertising it or some shit like that."

"That's awesome!" I couldn't believe it. I could be taking home a dress almost worth as much as a semester of college for free! I couldn't wait to get there.

Along the way, we talked about what we’ve all been up to lately. The girls talked about their significant others and soon the conversation was turned to focus on me.

"So, (Y/N), how are things with you and Harry?" asked Perrie, giving me a mischievous smile.

"Uh-" I said, wide eyed.

"We already know how you feel, darling," said Leigh-Anne, "it's a bit obvious, especially since we're ladies who know what being smitten looks like."

I blushed and sighed, "Is it that bad?"

"You look at him like you're looking at a newborn puppy," said Jade, "it's pretty bad."

I sighed, "Actually, lately, it...it hasn't been so great."

“What do you mean? What happened!?” asked Perrie, almost crawling into the back seat with me and Jade. Jesy turned and smacked her butt saying, “Get your seat belt back on!”

I told them what had happened since coming to England. Our night on the rooftop, the cuddle session on the couch, how he took care of me when I was sick, when we slept together, what he said to me after we wrestled on the floor, and how we both filled in for Kate Winslet on the James Corden show. Then I told them he kissed me.

“HE KISSED YOU!?” gaped Perrie, eyes wide with astonishment.

“Yeah,” I said, blushing, “It was for charity.”

“He kissed you! On television!?” she asked again.

“Yes,” I said, realizing our kiss was going to be seen by tons of people. I took a deep breath.

“You’re shocked they kissed when they’ve _slept_ together?” asked Leigh-Anne.

“We didn’t have sex,” I explained, “We’ve slept together since we were kids. It isn’t out of the ordinary for us.”

“Oh my God! (Y/N)! Why didn’t you tell me!?” Perrie said, slapping my knee.

“I was going to but I forgot ‘cause…well…when we got home…” I explained how we ended up kissing more after the show. How he held me close to him and I could remember all of it, relive every moment. His warm breath against my chin, the feel of his hands on my ribs, the weight of his body on mine, and the way his eyes darkened while they looked into mine.

“Then he got a text. I took his phone and it was a picture of Samantha, in nothing but her panties, with her dress on her bed. She said, _‘Do you like my dress?_ ’” I mimicked, annoyed.

“Oh my God!” gasped Jesy.

“What did you do?” asked Jade.

“I ran,” I sighed, leaning against the window, “I panicked and Harry tried to stop me and explain but I knew I would freak out so I told him I would talk to him in the morning.”

“So he snogged you while this bitch is sending him nudes?” asked Jesy, taking a right turn.

“Oh we didn’t snog, not according to Harry,” I informed them.

“Then what the hell did you two do, then? Check for food on your mouth with his?” asked Jade.

“No,” I laughed, “We _kissed_. We didn’t use tongue so it doesn’t count as a snog.”

“Fuck that!” said Leigh-Anne sitting back in her seat.

“That’s what I said!” I exclaimed, raising my hands in the air.

“That’s complete bullshit!” said Perrie, supporting herself against her arm rest, “This Samantha chick is getting in the way of everything.”

“It sounds more like Harry’s trying to balance two girls at once,” said Jesy.

No…Harry wouldn’t do that. He has too much respect for women and I was his best friend. It sounded so unlike Harry but he has changed a bit since becoming so famous…but doing _that?_ It sounded so foreign to me.

But Harry asked me to trust him. I didn’t know exactly what to trust him with but I would give him the benefit of the doubt, even if the evidence seemed to scream at me in the face, like it was doing now.

I wasn’t going to let this ruin my day. I was out with the girls and we were going to pick out amazing dresses for the gala. We were going to have a great time and I would try not to think of Harry and this stupid predicament…try not to.

“Harry told me we were going to talk later,” I said, “Until then, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt for now.”

It was silent for a bit and then Perrie spoke up again, “So, are you still going to tell him about your feelings?”

I pursed my lips, “I want to. I just don’t know how I’m going to with Samantha trying to move in. I’ll think of something.”

“Wait, what do you mean she’s trying to move in?” asked Perrie.

“Oh yeah, she came by right before you did,” I informed, “I think she’s trying to take my room.”

“Fuck that bitch!” yelled Perrie.

“Don’t worry, Pez, I made it clear I was staying in the guest bedroom. I also said I might not go home tonight.”

“Stay with me and Zayn!” Perrie reached for my hand, “We can get ready for the gala together!”

“You wouldn’t mind if I stayed the night?” I asked, “It’s been awhile since you and Zayn had a chance to relax together.”

“Oh it’s _fine,_ (Y/N), we’d love to have you! You can use the guest bedroom.”

“Lucky for you the walls are sound proof,” laughed Jade, making us all laugh and Perrie smirked knowingly.

We finally arrived and we were escorted through the building. It looked like a massive hotel, almost like a Hilton. It was extravagant. A waterfall fell through the lobby area into a pool across from the reception desks. We were led into a conference room with huge windows overlooking the city of London. There were no tables, only dresses; tons and tons of dresses. We all gasped and couldn’t contain our excitement. We rushed through the room and noticed red tags on some of the dresses. That meant they were already taken so we avoided even looking at them so we wouldn’t get our hearts broken.

“El? El, is that you?”

I looked across the room and saw Perrie running over toward a girl with long curly chocolate brown hair. I smiled and ran over with her.

“Perrie!” She smiled, hugging the blonde, “What have you been up to?”

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing and Zayn and I are loving it,” she smiled.

“Hey, El,” I said coming out from behind huge ball gown.

“(Y/N!)” smiled Eleanor, as she held out her arms for a hug. She squeezed and shifted us side to side, “Louis told me you were in London! I was hoping I’d see you!”

“It’s been too long,” I hugged back. After stepping back, I looked at the dress she stood by, “Have you already chosen a gown?”

“I just did, yeah,” she said all giddy, “Would you like to see?”

Perrie and I both said yes excitedly as she led us to her dress. Freshly tagged, it was a beautiful navy blue that extended to the floor. It was strapless with a silver jewel pinned near the waist that ruffled the dress elegantly on her side.

“Oh El,” I breathed, “this is going to look stunning on you.”

“Thank you,” she smiled, “I just sent the color to Lou. He said it was perfect. I thought the color would complement his eyes.”

“I can’t wait to see you in this tomorrow,” said Perrie. Jesy called Perrie over to her to look at complimentary dresses because the girls would also be performing tomorrow at the gala so they had to somewhat coordinate with each other. Saying she’d be back, she left Eleanor and I alone to catch up.

“Are you going to be here long?” I asked.

“Louis said to text him when I was ready. He’s got the twins with him today while his mum is out with Dan. They’re helping him pick a nice suit for tomorrow.”

“Would you like to help me look for my dress?”

“I would love to!” she said, face brightening as we began to look.

There were so many different kinds of dresses. It was like prom all over again, and instead of my high school evaluating my dress choice, it was millions of fans. No pressure.

There were all sorts of Christmas colors, due to the season quickly approaching. There was even one that seemed to be made entirely out of mistletoe. Finally, after looking for what seemed like hours, I saw a dress that I couldn’t look away from.

It was a mermaid dress that was as white as freshly fallen snow with a golden leaf pattern vining down the gown. It had a sweetheart shaped top that lined the chest where gold trim was laced in between the fabric. Near the knees was where the fabric fanned out and it hugged the mannequin in all the right places.

“Oh my gosh, (Y/N), said Eleanor, shaking me from my daze, “Are you going to try it on?”

“Yeah, I think I will,” I said, walking around the dress, “I don’t see a red tag.”

“Well come on then! Let’s go find the woman I just talked to!” Eleanor ushered me along until we found a woman with a clipboard next to a table with mounds of documents. She smiled and quickly took down my size and measurements. She led us to the make shift fitting rooms and I looked into the mirrors. Oh, yeah, I forgot I still looked like crap. I got undressed and was embarrassed to find that I left Harry’s flat in such a huff that I forgot to put on a bra. After a few minutes, the woman came back with the dress. She helped me into it and zipped it up. There was a corset built into the dress, but it was comfortable. It pushed up my breasts quite nicely, and fit snug. I wiggled around and made sure it fit. Yep, this dress wasn’t going anywhere. It was absolutely perfect.

The woman twisted my hair into a bun and I walked out to see Eleanor’s surprised face, “Oh my gosh, (Y/N)…this is your dress!”

“Really?” I asked, excited.

“OH MY GOD!”

Eleanor and I both turned to see Leigh-Anne gaping at us, “Girls get over here!” The rest of Little Mix came over and had the same expression Eleanor had.

“Go on and give us a twirl,” encouraged Jesy. I did, feeling lighter than air. The dress made me feel beautiful, and like I was royalty. The girls gasped.

“(Y/N), if you don’t get this dress you are doing it a disservice,” said Perrie.

“You don’t think it looks too much like a wedding dress?” I asked, looking once again in the mirror.

“Nonsense! The dress I picked is white too,” said Leigh-Anne, “Tons of girls will be wearing white. Most of these dresses are part of the Christmas collection. It’s perfectly fine.”

“And besides, Niall will be drooling when he sees you in this,” chimed Jade.

“Not to mention, Harry won’t be able to take his eyes off you,” added Perrie. I looked up with hopeful eyes.

“Forget him,” said Jesy, “What matters is that you look gorgeous and you _need_ this dress.”

“You know what, you’re absolutely right!” I said turning to the woman with the clipboard, “I’ll take this one!”

The girls squealed and cheered. I laughed, and became so much more excited for the gala. The rest of the girls tried on their dresses and modeled for us. They each had a Christmas color: Perrie had evergreen, Jesy had bright red, Jade had gold, and Leigh-Anne had white. They looked amazing when each of them modeled individually. On stage, together, they were going to look outstanding.

After finally picking, we walked out with all our dresses in tow. I walked past my dress, with a delightfully red tag keeping it off limits from everyone else. Exiting the building from the back, we saw Louis leaning against a black SUV. Eleanor smiled and approached him, giving him a peck on the lips.

“Hello, beautiful,” he said grinning, “Ladies.”

The girls gave their greetings and I walked up to him, “Hey, dude.”

“Hey, (Y/N),” he smiled, eyes crinkling, “How’re you feeling?”

“Much better,” I said smiling, “did Harry tell you I was sick?”

“He more or less gave me an hourly status report update on your vitals during your crucial time of need.”

“Ah,” was all I said.

“Lou, where are the twins?” Eleanor asked.

“They got bored so I dropped them off at mum’s after getting some treats.”

The girls loaded their dresses into their cars and I was about to as well when Louis stopped me.

“Can I steal you for a moment? I think you need a good talk. Am I wrong?”

I looked from his eyes to the pavement with a sigh, shaking my head.

“El, do you mind if I talk to (Y/N) for a bit? I promise I’ll fill you in after.”

“Of course,” she said, giving us both a smile, “I’ll go get some food for dinner tonight. Take your time.” This girl was an angel.

Louis told Perrie he would drop me off where I needed to go. I placed my new dress next to Eleanor’s and Louis and I went for a walk. The courtyard behind the plaza was huge. It was cold outside and my fingers tingled as Louis held his arm out to escort me around the magnificent sized garden.

“This place must look even more amazing in the summer,” I said, sounding tired, “with all the flowers.”

“Harry called,” informed Louis, leading us around a corner.

“Did he?” I asked, trying to sound uninterested.

“Mm,” he hummed, “Twice, actually.”

I fixed Harry's beanie on my head to cover my ears with one hand while the other was still wrapped around Louis' elbow. Snowflakes fell and I could see Louis’ breath fog in the air as he began to speak again.

“He called me at three in the morning,” he began to mimic Harry, lowering his voice in a slow drawl, “ _’Louis, Louis, I fucked up.’_ ” My heart beat heavily in my chest as he continued. “I said, ‘Mate, calm down what the fuck are you talking about?’ and he said some…very interesting things.”

“Like?” I asked, looking up at him. He smirked at me.

“Like you two snogging. _Multiple times_.”

I blushed and scoffed, “Didn’t he tell you? We _kissed_. No tongue, no snog.”

“Huh, that’s not what he said.”

I looked up, my eyelids lowered in disinterest, “Funny, ‘cause that’s what he said to me this morning.”

“I just got off the phone with him about an hour ago,” he said, looking down at me, “He said otherwise.”

I looked up at him and after a few moments I almost snarled. I unlocked our arms and took a lump of snow in my hand and threw it somewhere without really looking.

“ _Why!?_ ” I yelled, picking up more snow, “Why is he _doing_ this!? He’s such a…a fucking _fucker!_ ”

“(Y/N), calm down,” laughed Louis.

“Pick up some snow and throw it with me!” I shouted back at him, “You’ve got gloves, you’ll be fine!”

Laughing, he joined me and shouted obscenities with me in the massive courtyard. Letting out my steam, I began to calm down and began chuckling at how stupid we were acting, how _I_ was acting. Finding a dry bench under a shaded area, we sat and caught our breath.

“Better?” he asked.

“Loads, actually,” I giggled, gesturing him closer so we could stay warm. He sat close to me and let me rest my head on his shoulder. It was nice having a friend to literally lean on.

“Louis, I’m so confused,” I sighed, “Why would he say it wasn’t snogging to me and then turn around and tell you it was? He’s acting so out of the ordinary that I can’t predict how he’s going to act. _Me!_ Of all people.”

“Can you fill me in on what happened? Harry told me some of it but I think it’d be best if I heard both sides.”

I explained everything that happened from my point of view. It was calming, in a way, recollecting everything and sort of figuring out how to make sense of it. Louis nodded and gave one worded inputs as I retold the current events.

“Louis, I can’t read him. It’s like, we’re having an amazing time and the mood is right and we’re so close I can taste it-shut your fucking mouth don’t even say taste _him_ I will walk away I swear. And then, Samantha or something will come out of nowhere and interrupt us or my own stupid self-consciousness will get in the way,” I sighed, rubbing my cheek against his shoulder, “Why does this have to be so fucking difficult? Why can’t Harry just take my hand and yell, ‘Run away with me!’ and sweep me off my feet?”

“’Cause he’d trip over his own before he could get to you. You know that.”

“It’s so true, it hurts.”

We giggled and watched the snow fall a bit more until Louis spoke up again.

“He’s worried about you, you know.”

I scoffed, “I’m sure he is. I might come home any minute and cock block him if he isn’t already balls deep in that bitch.”

It was quiet and I looked up to see Louis giving me an incredulous, yet very entertained look.

“Sorry, that was too much.”

“Fuck that! Speak like this more often! Especially around me.”

I chuckled, then sobered when I remembered what Harry asked of me before I left, “He asked me to trust him, Lou. When we talked about last night, he asked me to trust that he wasn’t being sneaky or something like that. But, how can I not suspect or distrust him? Especially when he’s acting like this?”

Louis was silent for a bit and then rested his head on top of mine, “We both know Harry on a deep and very personal level. We both know his likes and dislikes, his fears, what he‘s done in the past, his biggest regrets and accomplishments, but most of all, we know Harry, sometimes more than he knows himself. If he asks you to trust him, it’s because he’s putting all of his faith in you…and in his position as a celebrity, that’s a lot.”

I knew what Louis was saying was true. There was no denying that when Harry asked something of you, something important, it was because the trust was so undeniably there that you felt impelled to carry through for him…because he would do the same for you, no questions asked.

Louis made me realize that if the roles were reversed, Harry wouldn’t even give it a second thought. He wouldn’t even have a single shred of doubt in me and my feelings. So why the fuck was I doubting him?

I was a shitty friend. A real shitty friend.

“You’re right,” I said, lifting my head, “I’m such an idiot. I…I should go back.”

“You sure?”

I nodded but then paused, “But what if Samantha’s still there? Louis, I can’t take more than a few minutes with her.”

“Then go back to Perrie’s,” said Louis, shrugging.

Agreeing to his suggestion, I made up my mind, “Okay, I’ll go home.”

“Want me to drop you off?” Louis asked, standing up and extending his hand. I took it and nodded. We went back to the parking lot where Eleanor and their driver were waiting for us. We hopped in the car and I went to check the time on my phone and saw that it was off. After I turned it on, a huge amount of messages came in.

Perrie’s text saying she was here, my sister asking how I was doing, and some tumblr alerts. I unzipped a bit of the dress and sent the color and the gold to Niall.

_Got my dress! See you tomorrow!_

He sent back quickly, _‘Those are sick colors! Nice job! Can’t wait to see the full thing :)_

I scrolled through my messages more when I saw Harry’s name…multiple times. There were missed calls, texts, and voicemails from him.

“Oh my gosh,” I whispered. Louis and Eleanor had inquisitive looks on their faces so I said, “Harry left me, like, twenty messages.”

Eleanor giggled and Louis shook his head, “Unbelievable, you’d think he’d lost a child.”

I tapped on my phone and read the texts first. 

_Hey (Y/N) are you with the girls?_

_How’s dress shopping?_

_Did you dress warm enough?_

_Make sure you eat while you’re out._

_(Y/N) I’m sorry_

The last one tugged at my heart a bit. I hit the voicemail app and saw three voicemails from Harry. I tapped the first one.

“Hey, (Y/N). I texted you but you might not have seen them. Just wanted to make sure you’re with the girls because I went out and checked the front and you were gone. You can just text me back, no big deal. See you soon.”

I tapped the next one.

“Hey, (Y/N), me again. Just tried to see if you’d pick up. You might have your phone off so this might be a waste of time. Hope dress shopping is going well. Call me if you need anything or if you’re going out to eat. Since you’ve been sick I think it’d be a good idea to get some soup. I made enough pasta here so if you’re hungry when you come help yourself. So…uh…yeah, okay, bye.”

I tapped the last one.

“(Y/N), I’m so sorry for earlier. Please pick up or text me or something. I’m getting a bit worried is all…if you’re mad I understand. I didn’t know Sam was coming and I would have told you had I known. I convinced her to stay at her place so you wouldn’t have to feel awkward. Please come home…”

The desperation in his voice made my stomach drop and I felt a huge amount of guilt. I had to see him. I opened a new text message and wrote ‘On my way home’ but I erased home and put 'back' instead. It wasn’t really my home.

I saw that Harry had read the text and then he called me. I would be seeing him in minutes so I decided not to pick up. We needed to talk face to face.

Louis’ driver pulled up to the front and I slid out of the car, giving my thanks and saying I’d see them tomorrow. I pulled out my dress and went inside the old building. I hiked up the stairs, avoiding the old one, and reached the door. Before I could knock, Harry whipped the door open and yanked me inside. I gasped and dropped the dress, thankfully it was covered in a protective hanging coat, and collided into a bone crushing hug.

“Har-ry,” I choked out. Luckily, I was in so many comfy layers that it didn’t hurt too badly. He took me by the shoulders and made me face him.

“Don’t you _ever_ do that again,” he warned, tone getting serious, “I was worried sick.”

“I told you I was going with Perrie and the girls…”

“You stormed out of here and when I went to check on you, you were gone! And when I tried to call you, you didn’t pick up. I thought you had been kidnapped!”

I sighed, “Harry, you’re overreacting. My phone was off ‘cause I needed to save the battery. I left my phone charger in your room so I wanted to save the power. I had so much fun dress shopping that I just forgot.”

Harry’s eyebrows eased a bit, but still had that line of annoyance, “Did you eat?”

“Oh my _God_ ,” I groaned, “I’m not a child, Harry.”

“No, you’re not, but I just wanted to make sure-“

“You’re not my mom, and you’re certainly not my boyfriend, so cut it out! I’m an adult. I’m older than you! I’m fine!”

His lips pursed into a straight line, then he spoke again, “You’re right. I’m not your mum. I’m not your boyfriend. You’re my best friend and I wanted to make sure you were okay after worrying about you all fucking day!”

I suddenly remembered what Louis said to me on the bench. I took a deep breath and calmed myself, “You’re right. You’re right, Harry, I’m sorry. I was a mistake. I’ll keep my phone on next time.” I went to pass him to go to my room but he stopped me. I looked up at him.

“Have you eaten?”

“I’m not hungry.”

“That’s not what I asked. Have you eaten?”

“…No.”

“Come on,” he said, ushering me toward the kitchen, “Have some pasta then, I’ll let you go.”

I groaned, rather attractively, and let Harry make me food. After I ate, I excused myself, taking my dress with me, and took a nice long shower because God knows I needed to relax. I wrapped my hair in a towel and put on the lilac jumper, now washed, with yoga pants that ended and hugged around my calves. I went out into the living room and saw Harry fast asleep on the couch with a rerun of Friends playing on the television. I grabbed a blanket from the closet and draped it over him, tucking him in a bit. Hi eyes cracked open slightly and I knelt down by his head, “Hey. Sorry, did I wake you?”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” he grogged, snuggling closer into the couch.

“You must be tired since you didn’t sleep much last night, huh?”

“Mmm,” he hummed, eyes closing again.

I bit the inside of my lip and brushed his curly fringe out of the way, “Get some sleep. Escorting Samantha tomorrow is gonna be a doozy,” I joked. He smiled, dimples showing and relaxed once more. I leaned forward and kissed his right dimple. I got up and turned off the lights and the television and went back into my room so Harry could nap for a while. When I got back to my room I saw an alert on my phone. Niall had texted me a pic of him in a Disney-like prince outfit that oddly matched my dress.

_What do you think??_

I responded, _It’s perfect!! We’re going to look amazing!_

_Lol hahahahaha I got the tux and the tie matches. What time should I pick you up from Zayn’s tomorrow?_

_The gala starts at 8 so 7?_

_Perfect. See ya then!_

I leaned back against the bed and looked at my beautiful new dress. Tomorrow was either going to be really fun or a disaster.

I was going to make sure it would be the first.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I'm sorry I didn't update this earlier. I had to make some last minute updates and changes. Life has been pretty hectic as well. Thank for understanding and thank your for reading!
> 
> Come visit my personal tumblr here: http://spring1924.tumblr.com/
> 
> If you like 1D imagines, one shots, and ships come visit here: http://1dboysimagines.tumblr.com/

I felt heavy and upside down. I was moving-actually I was being moved. I was stirred from my sleep and felt myself defy gravity by my back and behind my knees. Oh…of course…someone was carrying me…

Suddenly, my head hit something hard with a loud thunk.

“OW!” I caressed my head with one hand, trying to soothe the pain. I was lurched upwards and felt strong arms secure me.

“Oo, oo, oo,” Harry whispered, “Sorry, (Y/N), sorry.”

My eyebrows furrowed as I felt his curls tickle my temple, “Harry, what are you doing?”

“Um, well, I was going to bed and, uh,” he paused and then blurted out rather quickly, “I didn’t want to sleep alone, and I didn’t want to wake you so I figured I’d carry you.”

I looked up into his face, shadowed by the hallway light. He looked like a puppy that just peed on the carpet and knew he was in trouble. He was absolutely adorable and I was too tired and annoyed to ask questions.

“For _God’s sake_ , Harry,” I groaned, throwing my head back, avoiding the door frame I hit earlier, “why didn’t you just crawl into my bed?”

Harry paused for a moment, looked back at my bed, and then back at me, “But my bed’s comfier.”

“My bed or get out,” I sighed, looking back at him, “put me down.”

“Alright, alright,” he said, moving toward the bed and setting me down gently. His face ghosted near mine and I fought the urge to kiss him. I buried my face into my pillow and waited for him to leave. He walked out and shut off the hallway light but then he came back into the room and shut the door. My eyes opened again and he was standing next to the bed.“What now?” I asked, annoyed.

“Scoot over,” he ordered, taking off his shirt. I did with a huff and wrapped my comforter around me, forming a cocoon, “What are you doing? Give me some,” he said, trying to pull it to him. We wrestled a bit until he finally yanked it, pulling me with it. My face collided into his shoulder.

“Oh!” I cried, grabbing my nose. My eyes watered, as I cupped the front of my face.

“Oh shit!” Harry gasped. He ran out of bed and flipped on the lights, making me hiss as my eyes tried to adjust. I closed my eyes and felt Harry’s big hands grab my own and move them off of my face. He cradled my face and lifted it for him to inspect. I whined, wanting nothing more than to go back to bed. “There, there,” he cooed, running his thumbs along my cheek bones, “you’re alright. No blood, it’s just a bit red.”

“No thanks to you,” I moaned, "Is this for when I hit you in the face in L.A.? 'Cause that was half your fault."

He laughed and got up, turned off the lights, and crawled back into bed with me. To avoid another fiasco, I let him take the covers and turned my back to him, wanting nothing more than to fall back into my dreamless sleep. I’ve been having a lot of those since coming back to England.

I was pulled back to full consciousness when Harry wrapped his arm around my waist and tangled his legs with mine, “Prickly.”

“I swear to God,” I seethed, trying to scoot away from him. He just pulled me back into him and nestled his face into my neck.

“Sorry, sorry,” he apologized, kissing the back of my neck, making goosebumps break out all over my skin, “Don’t be angry.”

“Go to sleep,” I mumbled, burrowing into my pillow.

“Mmkay,” he sighed. I could feel his steady breathing on the back of my head. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

 

I woke up and the first thing I saw when my eyes came into focus were plump red lips, barely parted. I felt Harry’s warm breath hit my forehead every time he exhaled. They were steady breaths, so he was still asleep. His arm was wrapped around my back and I tilted my head and stared at his relaxed face. Doing so made all my inhibitions fade away as I breathed in and out. In and out. I balled my hands into fists against my chest.

_Why can’t you be mine?_

I touched our lips together in a chaste kiss. With my eyes closed, I felt my heart beat where we were connected. It was quick, but it was amazing. I pulled away slowly, making sure I didn’t stir him from his slumber. He was still asleep, thank goodness, and I slid out at the end of the bed because my side was against the wall. I grabbed my phone from the dresser and I hurried out of the room. My face was on fire when I ran into the living room and grabbed a pillow from the couch and squealed into it, trying to get my adrenaline and giddiness out of me.

Trying to catch my breath, I sat down and checked my phone. It was 8:12 in the morning. What the hell was I doing up!? I looked to the hallway and contemplated snuggling back in with Harry. I decided against it and let him sleep. I texted Perrie and asked her what time I should come over to get ready for the gala. I knew she wasn’t going to respond for a while and I wanted to keep quiet so Harry could catch up on sleep. I opened the tumblr app on my phone and started to scroll.

The blog that my sister sent me the link to back in LA popped up on my feed and I clicked on it. My curiosity got the better of me as I tapped on the tag that said ‘Harry and (Y/N).’ This should be interesting.

It was.

There were so many posts about us. The most recent was a picture of us together in The Eye in London, before I got sick. People were freaking out about us being together, apparently…in a good way! There was so many different kinds of media all about us together as a couple! I couldn’t believe it! I read some of her posts and she truly believed that Harry and I were together as a couple. She had so many theories and ‘proof’ that we were in love. It made me wonder to myself, if she believed in Harry and I…why couldn’t I?

There were beautiful pictures called manips of us kissing and hugging. So many drawings and art media were of us in different universes and scenarios. I think I sat there for an hour straight just looking at these works that made flabbergasted, but honored. I looked up in the corner and saw ‘nsfw.’ My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. What the heck did that stand for? I clicked it and immediately regretted doing so.

I had never seen so many O faces, let alone ones drawn to look like me…with Harry. My eyes widened when I saw a picture of us having _very_ kinky sex and I couldn’t take it anymore. I clicked on a link that took me to a different tab. Calming down I began to read. It was a story about Harry and I. Oh, how cool!

We were out at a bar and I had gotten a bit tipsy and a man was trying to take me home with him. Oh wait a minute, no thank you. Suddenly Harry came out of nowhere and saved me from the stranger, thank God. Then he took me back to his place and then he backed me up against a wall and…started kissing down my neck.

“Oh _my_ …”

I liked to moan _a lot_ , apparently, and wrapped my legs around his waist. Good Lord. The he started to rut into my hips. Sweet _Jesus_. He took me to my room and undressed me, with his _teeth_ , _mercy_ , and then we were both naked. After…prepping me, he lined himself up and-

“Good morning.”

I gasped and looked up to see Harry rubbing his eye in the hallway entrance. I just sat there, shell shocked, and I must have looked it by the way he looked at me when both of his eyes came into focus.

“What’s up with you?”

 _I just read a story about you ready to fuck me into the mattress_ , “What? Nothing. Why do you ask?”

“You’re really red,” he said looking me up and down. Oh God, if he looked at me like that any longer I was going to convulse. I thought of a fib on the spot.

“I was exercising,” I lied, getting up and walking towards the kitchen.

“This early?” he asked, sounding unconvinced.

“Yeah,” I said, turning to him, “I just needed to stretch and get the blood flowing.”

“Is that why you were sitting?”

“I was taking a break.”

“Uh huh,” he said finally. He seemed to drop it so I relaxed. That was a huge mistake.

He grabbed my phone out of my hand and my stomach flipped.

“Let’s see what you’ve been up to~” teased Harry.

“Harry, stop,” I said reaching for the phone. He wrapped a strong arm around me and held me close to him while his other arm raised over his head, far out of my reach, “Harry, please don’t! It’s nothing!”

“Oh, look at that, a passcode,” chimed Harry, “let’s try your birthday.”

He tapped the numbers and it opened but before he could look I grabbed his face with my hands and turned him to face me. His eyes widened and then I began to beg.

“Harry, if you respect me as your friend, you won’t look at what’s on my phone. Please, if you do I will be the most embarrassed I have ever been in my life.”

“…Worse than the time you farted in front of your class back in America?”

I clenched my teeth, “Yes,” I was going to kill my sister for telling Harry that happened all those years ago.

I removed my hands from his face and wrapped them around his torso. I rested my head against his chest and begged one last time, “Please don’t.”

Harry sighed, “Alright, alright,” he brought his arm down and handed me my phone. He held me tighter and said, “I didn’t mean to scare you, you’re _shaking!_ ”

I took the phone and pulled his face near mine. I planted a sweet kiss to his cheek, “Thank you, Harry.”

He stared at me and I could see something in his eyes, something…wild. His grasp around my waist tightened a bit and I realized just how close we were.

“Harry,” I began, looking up at him, “You can let me go now.”

He seemed to return to normal as his grasp on me loosened until he let me go.

“Right, right, sorry,” he said, “you were shaking so much I got worried.”

I volunteered to make breakfast while Harry showered and got ready for the day. I had to get that stupid story out of my head. Thinking about doing that with Harry was making my knees weak and I was thankful Harry didn’t see what was on my phone. My phone dinged and I saw that Perrie had texted me back at 10:03. I must have been on my phone for a while.

**_Hey love! I missed you last night! What happened to our sleep over??_ **

I smiled and texted _I’ll explain when I get to your house. What time?_

**_Come over whenever! The girls are coming over around 5:30 but you should come for lunch! I want to know everything and we need some girl time :]_ **

_Yes we do! Okay I’ll be over at 1?_

**_Sounds great! I’ll see you then!_ **

I finished the eggs and started to toast the bread when Harry came back into the kitchen, dressed in comfy clothes, and shaking his hair in a towel. He walked by and I got a whiff of him.

“Oh my gosh,” I said, turning to him, “You smell amazing.”

“Green apple and berries,” he smiled and took his towel and threw it around the back of my head, encasing my senses in the aroma. He pulled me to him and rubbed his head near my nose. I giggled and he laughed as I tangled my fingers in his drying curls. He lifted his face and met mine.

“Will you scratch my head while we eat?”

I smiled, “Sure. Go sit with your eggs and I’ll bring over the toast.”

“Yayyy,” he lazily cheered and kissed my nose. He ran over and plopped in front of the couch and waited patiently. I made his toast and brought it over. I sat on the couch and he settled in between my legs, laying his head back on the cushions. He sighed as I lightly ran my fingers through his hair, scratching gently. He was like a cat, humming when a certain spot I scratched felt especially good.

“When you, or my mum, do this, my head gets all tingly, and it feels…really good.”

My smile widened so wide that my cheeks hurt. I kept scratching his head and began to hum I’ll be home for Christmas. By the time I reached ‘Christmas Eve will find me’ Harry joined in. We finished humming the song together and after a few moments he spoke.

“Do you miss your family?” He looked up and met my eyes, waiting for an answer.

I smiled down at him. “A little,” I smoothed my hair over his fringe, “but I’m happy I’m here, really.”

Harry reached up and brushed my hair away from my face, “You’re okay with spending Christmas with me and my family? You’re okay spending your time off here in England?”

"I’m thrilled, actually, to be here...with you…I get to see my family more than you do, even if I'm away a school. But really...there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

“Really?” he said taking my hand off his head into his own, “You’re serious?”

“I would never joke about being with you,” I said in full seriousness. I began to pet his hair again, “I do miss my family, and I’ll have to wait ‘till I get home to get my presents, but those are trivial things. They don’t matter.”

“I got you a present,” he said, eyes closed.

“Is it at Gem’s?”

“Yep.”

“Useless,” I sighed, receiving a smirk from Harry. I kept running my fingers through his hair until he fell asleep. Time passed and I looked up at the clock to see that it was 12:14. I had to leave for Perrie’s.

I woke Harry gently, much to his disappointment. “Harry.” He pursed his lips and looked like he was…trying to kiss? “ _Harry_ ,” I said more firmly and nudged him a bit. He opened his eyes, “Morning.”

“Uh…hi,” he said, “What’s going on?” “I have to go to Perrie’s to get ready for the gala. Wanna come have lunch with us?”

“Oh, yeah, sure,” he said, quickly getting up, “I’ll call us a taxi.”

I walked out of the room and grabbed my dress from my bedroom. I gathered the accenting jewelry and put on my coat and gloves. “Okay, let’s go!” I was heading towards the stairs until I was pulled back into the flat by my hood, “Wahhh!!”

“You’re gonna freeze to death,” he stated, turning me around. He had my scarf in his hands and wrapped it snug around my neck. I felt the skin of his hands skim my cheeks as he fit the soft cotton around my neck. He scooped his beanie out of his coat pocket and fit it snug over my head, “There.”

I looked up into his smiling face. He looked at me like I was the only important thing in the world, “Thanks,” I blushed and turned to avoid that dimpled smile, “Let’s go!”

I hurried down the stairs and waited for Harry to catch up. He finally caught up and put a hand behind my back, leading me out into the cold and I was glad Harry made me wear my scarf. It was blistering cold. The wind whipped against us like a slap to the face. We shuffled into the taxi and I bundled into my coat to protect myself from the cold.

A half hour of traffic later, we arrived at Zayn and Perrie’s. We reached the front door and knocked. I heard Perrie yell a “Come in!” and we did just that.

We walked through the front and met Perrie in the kitchen in a robe with curlers in her hair. She was setting up plates for us to eat on and noticed us come in.

“(Y/N)!” she greeted, hugging me, “and Harry! Good to see you again,” she said, giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

“Hello Perrie,” he said, hugging her back, “Where’s Zayn?”

“In the shower,” she said and Harry quickly left the kitchen and I watched him leave. Suddenly, I heard “What the hell!? Harry, what are you- get out of here!”

Perrie and I erupted in laughter and couldn’t contain ourselves when Harry came back into the room. His face was a bit wet, as well as his front curls.

“I’ll just wait for him then.”

After Zayn got out of the shower and we all ate our meal, Zayn went with Harry and drove them both back to his flat so they could relax and get ready at their own pace.

Perrie made us tea and we sat in the living room and talked. I told her why I didn’t go back with her and the girls. I informed her about what Louis said to me and made me realize how unfair I was acting towards him.

“If you think about it, he’s kind of being unfair to you too by being intimate with you and then running to Samantha.”

I agreed with her and then told her what happened after I got home. “I have a little bump on my head where I got hit,” I laughed, rubbing my head.

“He literally tried to take you to bed,” stated Perrie.

“Oh God,” I moaned into my hands, “Perrie, I can’t take this. I have to tell him. I have to tell him how I feel.”

“DO IT!” she yelled, bouncing in her seat, “FOR GOD’S SAKE FUCKING DO IT!”

I laughed, "Maybe tonight. I'll pull him aside when the moment is right and tell him!" 

We finished our tea and Perrie suggested that we pop in a movie while we wait for one of Little Mix’s hair stylist and make-up artist to arrive. We painted our nails and after the movie ended, Jade arrived followed by Leigh-Anne and then Jesy. We chatted and had more tea when the stylist arrived. She started with Perrie because her hair was already curled. After all of us had our hair styled, she began to do our make-up.

Once I was finished, I inspected myself in the mirror. I looked... _amazing_. The wonders of make-up! I looked like I belonged in People magazine on the red carpet! My hair was French braided on the side and wrapped in a bun on the lower right side. My eye shadow was a nice gold, not too gaudy and no obnoxious sparkle but a nice and elegant glow. My eyelashes lengthened immensely thanks to the mascara and my eyes looked big and beautiful! My face looked soft and my lips were glistening thanks to the lip stick.

I put on my dress and the look was finally complete. I almost couldn’t recognize myself. The dress hugged all of my curves in the right places and accentuated my best features. It was elegant and classy and I was ready to have an unforgettable night.

Zayn came back once everyone was ready and Niall was with him. Perrie and I waited, excited to show ourselves to our dates. Perrie had a beehive hairstyle, with diamond hair pins keeping it up. Her evergreen dress was strapless and hugged her body elegantly with a little flare. There was a slit in the dress that showed a bit of her ivory leg. It contrasted nicely and made the dress stand out more.

We walked out and I saw Niall’s face light up like the fourth of July. He was…so _handsome_. He had on a tuxedo with a golden tie. It actually looked nice against his blonde-brunette hair. He looked so good, his suit fitting him nicely, unlike the past suits that One Direction had been seen in. He was most certainly a man now. He stayed where he was, inspecting me with the brightest smile on his face.

“I knew it,” he said, chuckling and a bit breathy, “I knew you’d look absolutely breath taking.”

I blushed and thanked him, “You look very handsome, Niall, but I must say. I was hoping to see you in that Prince outfit you sent me a pic of earlier.”

“Oh you will, trust me, just not today.”

He came closer and gave me a tiny box. I looked up at him and he gestured for me to open it. When I did I could hardly believe it. In the box were diamond earrings with gold designs behind them. They were gorgeous. “Niall,” I breathed, surprised, “They’re beautiful! Are you sure?”

“Who else could I give them too? My mam?” he laughed, “I think they’d look even more beautiful on you. Try ‘em on.”

I quickly took out my earrings and switched them with the ones Niall gave me. I gave him a big smile, turning my head to give him a good look, “What’cha think?”

“Beautiful,” said giving me a smile back. The girl’s dates and boyfriends arrived soon after and Niall asked Jade’s date if he would take a picture of us.

“It’s like prom all over again,” I giggled as we angled ourselves. He stood behind me and put his hands on my waist. I noticed a fold in Niall's front jacket so, after the picture, I turned and ran my fingers over his it to smooth it out. I straightened it a bit and saw a flash. I looked and saw that Jade’s date had taken another picture.

“Oh, look at that,” he said showing Jade, then giving the phone back to Niall, “That’s a really good one. You two are a good looking couple.”

“Oh, I’m-we’re not-“ I began.

“We’re just friends,” said Niall taking the camera back, “Thanks, though. Cheers.”

I looked at Niall and tried to read his expression but he brought my attention to the camera. It really was a cute picture. Niall had his hands still on my waist as I fixed his suit. It looked like we were together, romantically.

“One more yeah?” asked Niall, “for Instagram?”

I laughed, “Of course.”

Niall held up his phone and we took three different selfies. The first was a normal one, cute smiles, the second was of us making silly faces, and the third was very serious. Absolutely nothing funny in our stoic faces.

We were laughing for most of the time we were at Zayn and Perrie’s.

We finally left and after driving for almost an hour, we made it to the plaza. Lights flashed everywhere as paparazzi and media news reporters swamped the-Oh my God it was an actual red carpet! There were celebrities entering the building and having quick interviews with camera men.

Niall and I arrived in the same car as Zayn and Perrie. We all exited the vehicle and everyone behind the barriers went crazy after seeing that two of One Direction had arrived, not to mention a member of Little Mix. I literally gulped, butterflies and adrenaline settling in my body. Niall held out his arm.

“Shall we, beautiful?” I took his arm and smiled, settling down. Niall had that amazing effect on people.

“Yes, let’s.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update! I'm back at school now so I've been kind of swamped.
> 
> Come check out my tumblr here: http://spring1924.tumblr.com/
> 
> If you like one shots, imagines, and ships involving 1D, visit here: http://1dboysimagines.tumblr.com/
> 
> Enjoy!

Niall and I walked into the gala and I was gob smacked. The plaza was decorated entirely in Christmas colors. Colorful garland lined the staircases and banners hung from the ceiling. There was a giant Christmas tree in the corner near the stage. A live band was playing on and around the stage where tons of people were already inside mingling with each other and showing off their dresses. People were gliding on the dance floor while the classical music played. This was the definition of a fancy party.

I tried to keep a neutral and sophisticated look while I was on Niall’s arm. Perrie tapped me on the shoulder and I turned to her. She closed in and whispered in my ear, “A bit fancy, don’t you think?”

I nodded and gave her a quick agreeing look. We stood and posed for photos near the entrance. Niall rubbed his hand behind my back to soothe me. He whispered to me, “You’re doing great,” I looked at him and gave him a smile. I leaned into him and whispered, “I took a look at the horderves and saw a tower of cubed cheese.” He met my eyes, his own were huge as he said, “I knew bringing you was a good idea.”

After posing for multiple photos, we walked towards the commotion near the center of the huge room. Niall lead me the entire way like a true gentleman and began introducing me to people he knew. It was a lot of fun, meeting new people. I joked and made people laugh to break the ice and Niall had a permanent smile on his face as he laughed with them. People neither of us knew introduced themselves and began conversations. It was truly a great time. Soon, people were asking Niall for pictures and interviews. He posed for a few photos but refused to do any interviews.

“Sorry,” he would say, reaching a hand around my back to land on my waist, “I don’t want to leave my date, (Y/N), on her own. Maybe later.”

Niall spotted Liam and Sophia over by the bar. We went over to them and Niall asked if I wanted anything to drink. Because I was old enough to drink in England, I asked for a glass of moscato. After receiving our drinks, we chatted with Liam and Sophia.

“Sophia, you look absolutely gorgeous,” I said, complementing her black dress.

“Doesn’t she?” chimed Liam, giving her a kiss on the cheek. She lovingly brushed her hand on his sleeve. Niall began to talk about how they looked like Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

“Thank you, love,” she said, giving me a quick hug, “You look amazing in that mermaid dress. The sweetheart neckline really accentuates your chest and collarbones.”

I was surprised when she said that to me, “Sophia, do you know a lot about dresses?”

“You could say it’s a hobby,” she smiled elegantly. This woman was flawless.

“So what kind of dress is yours then?” I asked.

“It’s a sheath dress with a low cut v neck,” she stated, pointing to Perrie, “Perrie’s got a trumpet dress with a portrait neck line. She and Zayn look stunning.”

Suddenly, my vision went black due to a pair of hands covering my face, “Guess who?”

“Ah!” I laughed, “El!”

My sight returned and I saw Eleanor in her navy blue dress. Louis was next to Liam, his hair styled back in a nice black tux with a navy blue tie to match Eleanor’s dress. They were a very good looking couple.

“Hey you two,” I greeted, giving them both a hug, “El, I knew that dress would be flawless, look at you!”

She giggled and gave a twirl, “Thank you, darling,” she said in a dramatic drawl, holding out her hand. I took it and gave a little curtsey, giggling as well.

“Soph, what kind of dress does El have?”

“She’s got an A line dress with a dipped shaped top,” said Sophia. Now Eleanor had my surprised face from earlier. We laughed and chatted as a group when Sophia suggested we find our table. Niall took my hand and lead me around the dance floor. The live band was amazing. Apparently, they were from orchestras and live bands from various television programs; the best of the best.

After dancing, we went to our table. It was labeled One Direction and Guests. There were ten seats at the table and noticed a clutch purse that didn’t match Perrie’s dress. Since I was with the other three and their dates, there was only one other possible person it could belong to.

Samantha was here, which means Harry was here.

I looked around and scanned the room for either one of them. They weren’t in sight, so I sat down, focusing on the people around me.

“This beer is good but I’m starving,” said Niall, sitting back and putting an arm around the back of my seat, “How’s your wine?”

“Really good,” I said, taking a little sip.

“Looks like Harry’s here,” said Liam, taking notice of Samantha’s clutch purse. I looked up and noticed Louis was staring at me. I quirked the side of my mouth and looked down at my painted nails.

“I say we hit the horderves,” Niall suggested, “You comin’, (Y/N)?”

“Food? Yes,” I said getting up to go with him.

“Bring me back something tasty!” said Louis from behind us as we made our way to the food table. We both grabbed tiny plates and I followed Niall while he packed it with his favorites. I took a few cheese cubes and I took two bites before I started thinking about Harry again. Harry who was probably dancing with Samantha…or making out somewhere no one could see. I lost my appetite.

“Not hungry?”

I looked up to see Niall giving me a comforting smile. He could read my mind.

“No, not anymore,” I said, quickly changing my attitude. Niall held out his plate and I dumped the cheese onto it.

“Alright I’m gonna go run this to Louis,” he said, eyes shifting a bit, then back to me.

“Okay,” I said, moving to go with him but he moved to whisper in my ear.

“Look to your left.”

Confused, I looked at him but he started to walk back to the table. I looked to my left.

And there was Harry.

He was also in tuxedo, and it fit him quite nicely not at all like the ill-fitting suits the boys used to wear at the beginning of their career. He wore a gold tie, a bit more sparkly than Niall’s nice shiny one. His hair was quiffed and styled the way he liked it, long but still acceptable in management’s standards. He looked amazing. He looked handsome and grown up. The eleven year old I parted with seemed to disappear. He looked like…like a man.

Our eyes met and I realized he was looking at me before I knew he was even there. Time seemed to freeze then for a brief moment. For the first time that night, I was suddenly very conscious of how I looked, but with his gaze on me, I couldn’t move.

He started to make his way towards me from across the room and my knees felt weak. Is this how Cinderella felt when the prince finally saw her? Have I been reduced to comparing my life to cliche Disney moments? Dear Lord, why didn’t I have more moscato?

Some people tried to stop him for photos and interviews but he politely brushed them off, barely taking his eyes off me. He…almost walked straight through the dance floor. I giggled as he shifted course and went around. He maneuvered around the tables and finally made it to me.

“You couldn’t have met me halfway?” he asked.

I blinked and joked back, “Oh, I’m sorry, this incredibly expensive dress made it hard to move seeing how I’m royalty now.”

“Oh excuse me, your highness,” he said moving closer, “from what I remember you used to hate anything remotely related to a princess…and the color pink.”

I laughed, “Time changes people I guess. And lucky for me, this fancy dress isn’t pink.” I swiveled a bit and the bottom of my dress twirled. He took my hand in his and brushed his thumb over my knuckles.

“You look beautiful,” he said, only loud enough for me to hear, “really.”

I could feel my cheeks warm up, “Thank you, Harry. That means a lot. You look quite handsome yourself by the way,” I traced a light finger on his tie, “I especially like the tie.”

He sighed, “Don’t even get me started.”

I quirked an eyebrow at him, making him laugh. A manicured hand curled around his arm, breaking up the conversation when Samantha came out from behind Harry.

“Darling,” she said, “why did you run off? We were about to get our pictures taken.” She then realized I was there and her whole demeanor changed. “Hi, (Y/N)!” she said moving to hug me. I hugged back, utterly confused. “Look at _you!_ You look good! I didn’t even recognize you.”

“Hi, Samantha, thanks,” I said, trying to be civil. I could tell she was trying to be nice. I appreciated it and took note to be respectful towards her. I looked behind her and saw our table. Louis was looking right at me and I gave him a reassuring look.

Samantha directed us to the table and we sat in our respective seats. Niall put his arm back around my chair and continued his conversation with Liam and Sophia. Louis turned to Harry and Samantha.

“Haz, that is a very interesting tie you’ve got on,” he said, tugging in it, “very flashy.”

“I picked it out myself,” said Sam, smiling with pride, “he’s going to be a fashion icon after tonight.”

“I thought he was already a fashion icon,” I teased, making Eleanor laugh. He gave me a look.

“Strike a pose,” he said dramatically making us laugh. Samantha looked annoyed.

“I told you to stop doing that,” she whispered to him.

My eyes widened as I heard her.

“It was one joke,” he groaned.

“Just make sure you don’t say anything like that in front of anyone else, especially around the cameras,” she hissed.

My blood began to boil and I felt a rage I had not felt in a long time. The first time I felt this was when a boy picked on my sister. He ended up crying on the playground. This time, I was an adult and I couldn’t just push Samantha over and expect her to cry and leave Harry alone.

She was trying to stop Harry from being himself, surrounded by his closest friends. Sure, he didn’t have the funniest jokes, but they were endearing and adorable…and it was then that I realized I couldn’t live without them. I needed to hear his corny jokes and puns. I needed Harry to be himself because that was what kept him grounded through all the fame and hype. It was what connected us together because there was no way I could live in the spotlight like he could.

Niall put his hand over mine and shook me from my angry thoughts.

“Shall we dance?”

I blinked, “What?”

“They’re starting to line up the performers. C’mon, let’s dance.”

Before I could say anything, I was being led to the dance floor. He took my hand and wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me close. We swayed back and forth to the soft jazz and started moving around the dance floor. Everyone else at the table seemed to like Niall’s idea because I would catch glimpses of the others. I looked back to Niall and met cerulean eyes.

“Hi,” he said, smiling.

I then realized how stupid I must have been acting, “Hi, sorry, I…I’m acting really stupid.”

“I don’t mind,” he said, circling us around as he led the dance, “I’m having fun.”

I smiled at him, “So am I. Thanks again for inviting me. You know you didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to,” he moved to the left, “There wasn’t anyone else I had in mind.”

We danced to two songs and then there was a tap on Niall’s shoulder. He turned and Louis was standing there with Eleanor, “Can I steal your date for a song?”

Niall beamed, “You mean I get to dance with two beautiful girls in one night?”

“Hey now,” Louis said, handing Eleanor to him, “She’s my girl.” Eleanor beamed at him.

“I know, I know,” he said taking her hand. Louis stepped in and took Niall’s place, continuing the dance.

“Hi there,” I said, smiling, “to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Just wanted to see if you were okay,” he said. He was smooth, almost gliding us on the dance floor, “You looked like you were going to murder someone at the table.”

I took a breath and looked away, “She was reprimanding Harry for making a joke,” I stated, “she told him not to joke in front of cameras and other people. I was livid.”

Louis shrugged, “If we as a group have learned anything, it’s how to keep cool when people tell you what to do,” he twirled us, “Harry’s probably dying to show off his dance moves right now.”

I laughed and agreed. After a few moments I spoke again, “I was so angry, Louis.”

“So what are you going to do about it?”

I looked up and he was looking at me now with a wondering yet challenging look. The song ended and Niall came back with Eleanor. Louis winked and then wrapped his arm around his girlfriend’s waist and began to dance again.

Suddenly, a new singer came onto the stage and Niall and I both gasped when his name was announced.

“Ladies and gentleman, Mr. Michael Bublé!”

Michael Bublé went in front of the microphone and started to sing songs from his Christmas album. Niall and I were on cloud nine while we danced because he was one of our all-time favorite artists. We’ve had conversations in the past about his music and how perfect he is.

After he sang his Christmas song, he announced his final song of the night, Save the Last Dance for Me.

The jazz and trumpets and rhythm had us swaying and circling around the dance floor. It was so much fun. Niall and I laughed and thoroughly enjoyed being together. Nothing else mattered while we danced because we were having the time of our lives.

When Michael finished signing, another woman went on stage and joined him. They introduced her and announced their next song.

It was Baby It’s Cold Outside.

My eyes widened and I told Niall, “We have to find Harry.”

“What? Why?” asked Niall laughing.

“This is our song, Niall, we sing this every year, since we were kids,” I said, looking around, “I have to find him!”

“There he is,” said Niall, pushing me forward, “C’mon!”

We hurried through the crowd and found the two of them just standing on the dance floor. Harry looked almost confused but his eyebrows shot to his forehead when Niall and I came toward them. I tapped Samantha’s shoulder.

“Hi! Mind if we switch for a song?”

Samantha seemed hesitant but ultimately said, “Sure.” Before she could say anything else, Niall swept her away and I almost laughed out loud. I turned to Harry and smiled.

“May I have this dance?”

Harry seemed to snap out of his trance and took my hand in his and wrapped a hand around my waist.

“I thought you’d never ask.”

The song began to play and Michael and his guest started to sing. Nostalgia hit me like a ton of bricks and I think it hit Harry too. We smiled and I could tell he was trying not to step on my feet while we danced. We looked into each other’s eyes as he led us in a circling rhythm.

“Are you having fun tonight?” he asked.

“Yeah I am,” I said, letting him lead, “Niall’s been nothing but a gentleman. I’m glad he asked me to come.”

We were silent as the song reached the halfway point.

“How about you?” I asked, “Having fun?”

“I am now,” my eyes widened, “Sam’s been on edge all night ‘cause of the fashion icons and cameras. She’s an up and coming new model so I don’t blame her,” explained Harry.

I sighed, “You’re too nice, Harry.”

He shrugged and smiled, “You remember that Christmas where you thought your parents forgot about you?”

I laughed, “How was I supposed to know they were still in mom’s closet when my sisters had their presents?”

“I still laugh every time I think about it,” he chuckled, “I felt so bad when you cried.”

“You gave me half of your presents! You were so sweet! What happened?” I joked.

He shrugged and suddenly dipped me, “We grew up.”

I looked up at him and went wide eyed when he dipped me in front of all those people, some with cameras. Not only that, his coordination was very questionable.

“Harry, let me up, please, before you drop me,” I pleaded.

He pulled me back to a standing position, “I’d never drop you. You know that.”

I hummed, “Good to know.”

Samantha came back and pulled Harry away from me when Niall’s hand gently pulled me back by my own. Before I could protest, Niall said, “Let’s go near the stage. Little Mix is about to perform.”

When Perrie and the girls went onstage they were outstanding. They all looked and sounded phenomenal in their dresses. Each one of them had a Christmas color on which made the girls shine. Their harmonies were on point and they sounded angelic when they sang “Oh Holy Night,” and they livened up the whole room when they sang a cheeky version of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.” They sang more Christmas songs and some of their own music and it was truly an amazing performance. The cameras flashed all around us and the stage.

Afterward, Niall brought me over to meet Michael Bublé. He complimented my dress and how beautiful I looked. He wasn’t James McAvoy, but dammit I flushed redder than a tomato. Niall had a look of pride on his face because I was his date and I teased him about it after talking with Michael and saying goodbye. He then brushed a hand over my back and told me he had to go with the lads to get ready for their performance. I understood and waited with the other girls for the boys to go onstage.

Finally the boys were announced and they made their way to the stage. They started off by singing some of their new songs “Through the Dark” and “Story of my Life.” After a few more songs, they sang a five part harmony of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” It was so beautiful that tears started welling up my eyes. Eleanor held my hand and I rested my head on her shoulder.

I wondered how my family was doing back home. I emailed them and called once or twice but with the holiday coming up, I started to miss them.

But Harry was home. I could be myself with him, even if there was so much sexual tension that I could explode.

The boys finished and Niall came back towards me. I gave him a hug and said, “Niall! That was fantastic! Amazing job!”

“Thanks, darling,” he laughed, “It was weird without my guitar.”

“You almost made me cry during that last song!”

“Oh no!” he said, hugging me tight, “Please don’t cry, (Y/N). We almost didn’t sing that song you know.”

“What? Why?” I asked, facing him once again.

“Harry didn’t want you to miss your family,” he said, smiling, “He said if he saw you crying he was going to be pissed. I thought he was gonna punch something.” /“But I didn’t cry,” I joked, “I just teared a little.”

Niall laughed with me and asked after, “So are you homesick?”

“A little, but anyone would be around Christmas time. I’m happy to be here with you guys.”

“Especially with Harry right?”

I looked at him wide eyed and he raised his eyebrows. He knew.

“Did Louis tell you?” I asked, blushing.

“Nope,” he said giving me a smile while chuckling.

“When did you find out?” I asked, surprised.

“When we had that bonfire and you refused to kiss Harry,” he said, “I certainly got a kick out of it, considering you kissed me instead.”

“Oh my God,” I said, hiding my face in my hands.

“Hey, are you alright?”

I looked up to see Harry giving me a concerned look.

“Yeah I’m fine,” I said, smiling the best I could. Niall snickered and I gave him a look.

“Are you sure?” he said putting hand on my back.

“Yep! I’m gonna go to the bathroom. El! Would you come with me to the restroom?”

“Perfect timing,” she said, “Let’s go.”

We left Harry and Niall standing there and I breathed, hoping to calm down. We entered the posh bathroom and found it was empty. We went into our respective stalls and suddenly I heard a familiar voice enter the bathroom.

“Nothing’s changed and I’m getting fucking angry!”

My eyes widened in shock. It was Samantha!

“He isn’t doing anything I say! And every time I try to fucking do _anything_ he avoids me. And I swear to God if he mentions that fucking bitch one more time-“

She seemed to be interrupted by the person on the other line. I didn’t want to assume but she had to be talking about Harry…and me!

“She’s staying with him at his place for the holidays so we’re going to go back to my place,” she paused for a bit, “He better…yeah I’ll see you later.”

Eleanor flushed and exited the stalls. I heard her shuffle and greet Samantha awkwardly. I decided I should come out too.

I exited the stall and looked straight at Samantha.

“Of course,” she sneered.

“Samantha, I think we need to talk," I began. She crossed her arms, "You obviously don’t like me and you know what, I’m not going to lie, you’re not my favorite person either, but I have tried to be civil towards you. I admit, that remark I made toward you before I left yesterday was wrong and I’m sorry if I embarrassed you.”

She eyed me up and down, “Thanks for the apology.”

I waited for her to apologize to me but the silence became too long so I continued, “But…I think you’re going too far by telling Harry how to act in public. He’s an adult and an international star. I think it’s fine if he acts however he wants to.”

Samantha scoffed, “Oh, are you serious? Listen, sweetheart, in this industry, people come and go quickly and if you want to survive you have to act and behave a certain way. I’m going to help Harry become even more successful than he already is…but you wouldn’t understand. You don’t know what it’s like to be seen by millions and scrutinized every day, do you?”

My blood began to boil, “No, _sweetheart_ , I don’t think _you_ understand. Harry has to go through enough being a celebrity and when someone tries to stop him from being himself is when I draw the line. I don’t care what kind of relationship you have with him, if you think you can try and control his life you’ve got another thing coming.”

“You really think Harry’s going to stay famous for long with that kind of personality? One Direction as a whole?”

“I don’t care what happens as long as it’s what he wants!”

“And how do you know what he wants, hm?”

“He tells me! Because we’re friends!”

“And that just _kills_ you, doesn’t it.”

I gave her an incredulous look, “Excuse me?”

“You may be childhood friends but that’s all you are! Friends! You’ll never have the kind of deep and passionate relationship we have.”

“Deep and passionate? Is that how you define avoidance? Tell me, Samantha, since you two are so close, when is his birthday?”

“He never told me.”

“Okay, how many siblings does he have?”

“Two sisters.”

“He’s got one. Gemma. Where is he from?”

“I don’t have to answer any of these stupid questions to prove anything to you!”

“They were simple questions! The second two should have been first date conversations _at least!_ Do you know _anything_ about him!?”

“I know what he looks like when he cums,” my eyes widened, “I know what he sounds like when he’s about to orgasm for the second time in hours, I know what it feels like to have my mind blown during sex, and the way he begs for more once we’re done.” My face reddened in embarrassment and rage. “You'll never know what it feels like to be held by him romantically and see him sleeping beside you and to see him wake up smiling at you.”

I balled my hands into fists and seethed, “I do. I do know how that feels. I’ve experienced it and I’m letting you know right now if you so much as pluck a hair from his curly head, you’ll regret it.”

“Oh, is that a threat?”

“No, bitch, it’s a promise.”

I stormed out of the bathroom, making sure Eleanor was with me, and fought to hold back the tears that threatened to ruin my make-up. Eleanor squeezed my hand and pulled me toward an abandoned hallway.

“El, what-“

“Stay here,” she said, “I’m going to get Perrie and Sophia.”

“But…the boys-“

“I’ll tell Louis to get the boys in an interview,” she said, “Here’s my handkerchief. Don’t cry, love, you look beautiful and we can’t let her spoil your night, right?”

“Right,” I sniffed, “You’re absolutely right.”

Eleanor went to get the girls and I backed against the wall and carefully slid to the floor. No one could see me so I was safe to act however I wanted. A few tears spilled over but, thankfully, I wore water proof mascara.

So they did have sex, or so she said. I couldn’t be sure until I heard it from Harry himself, but God it still hurt to hear it…imagine it. More tears came until I heard Perrie’s voice.

“Oh my- oh no no no,” she cooed, wiping my face, “What happened?”

“Samantha,” I groaned, “I’m sorry. Just let me take a breath and I’ll be fine. I’m sorry.”

“What did she do?” asked Sophia.

Eleanor filled her in while Perrie held me and helped me catch my breath and get my act together.

“Sorry I’m such a cry baby,” I chuckled, making the girls laugh.

“If a girl like her was after my Zayn I would cut her to pieces,” she announced, helping me fix my make-up, “You think I’m joking but I assure you I’m not.”

“I’ve had some trouble with Liam’s past,” stated Sophia, “Trust me, you’re fine, darling.”

“I thought there was going to be blood,” said Eleanor, “You should have seen (Y/N) she put Samantha in her place…until sex came into the picture.” I bit my lip to stop the tears from coming back.

“She and Harry are shagging for sure?” asked Perrie.

“That’s what she said,” said Eleanor, “But I think-“

“I’m not believing it,” I said, “Until I hear it from Harry’s mouth I’m not believing it. I told him I’d trust him. That involves this.” I stood up and sighed. “Thank you, girls. I’m blessed to have you as friends.”

We returned to the ballroom and Niall came up to me and held out his arm. I smiled and took it as he led us back into the crowd.

“The lads and I were thinking of heading out,” he said, “These events are more for people of fashion. We’ve done our part and we’re not too keen on sticking around. What do you think?”

“Niall, you read my mind,” I said giving him a smile. The girls were ready to leave too. After a night of dancing, interviews, and photos, we all left the plaza. I looked and saw Samantha literally clinging onto Harry’s arm. He looked at me and smiled, waving at me. I smiled back and he mouthed, “I’ll see you at home.”

My eyebrows rose at that. I looked down at Samantha then back up at him, “Good luck.”

He smiled and Samantha looked in the direction he was looking. I looked away, pretending I wasn’t looking. Our car came up and Niall helped me inside.

The ride back was fun. Niall and I fangirled over Michael Bublé and how he thought One Direction was a great band and how he thought we looked good in our fancy attire. I would lie if we didn’t make fun of Samantha. We did. I had no regrets.

We finally reached Harry’s flat and Niall walked me up the stairs. I warned him about the worn stair and we reached the door.

“I can’t thank you enough for an amazing night, Niall,” I said, getting the key out of my clutch purse, “I still can’t believe I met Michael Bublé! My sister is going to freak out.”

“Anytime, (Y/N). I had a great time. I knew we’d have fun,” he said smiling.

“Well, it was definitely thanks to you...and now that you know I like Harry…” I said, stepping closer. I gave him a friendly peck on the cheek, “I don't feel awkward doing that. Thanks…for everything.”

“Anytime, if I get more kisses,” he joked.

“I’m keeping these earrings forever I hope you know,” I said unlocking the door, "I will show them to the world and shine in their beauty."

“Good, I bought them for _you_ ,” he laughed.

“Are you going out?”

“No, I’m having a few friends over. If you get bored, you’re free to join if you’d like.”

“I’m beat,” I said, “But thanks Niall. You’re the best.”

“Have a good night, (Y/N),” he said smiling one last time and going down the stairs.

“You too, Ni, don’t get into too much trouble!”

“Never!”

I giggled and shut the door, locking it. I changed into my sweats, hung up my dress, made some tea, browsed my phone, and waited for Harry to come home.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry for being so late with this chapter. School's started back up and I've been swamped with classes and work. 
> 
> My tumblr: http://spring1924.tumblr.com/
> 
> For more 1D stories, imagines, and oneshots: http://1dboysimagines.tumblr.com/

While I waited for Harry to get home, I scrolled through tumblr and already saw pictures of the boys from the gala. They looked just as good as they did in person. People were going crazy seeing the boys with their significant others, except for Niall and I.

And here came the freak outs and rumors. A lot of people assumed we went as a couple but most of the fans knew we were just friends. It was a good thing James Corden's show didn't air yet or everyone would think we were dating.

I saw pictures of myself and I really did look like I belonged there with the group. It was weird, that was the only way I could describe it. It was like looking at a different person. My face didn't even look recognizable. Multiple people commented on how beautiful I looked and how gorgeous I was and it made me feel like I was on top of the world. It was so heartwarming seeing people I didn't even know compliment me with such kindness. I almost started to tear up from how touched I was.

I decided to go check out that girl's blog again and see if she posted anything about tonight. When I opened up the page it seemed endless the amount of posts she had. The first thing I saw was a picture of us all at the table. Then there were pictures of the dance floor and pictures of Harry dancing with me. How did people get these pictures?

She raved about how we danced together even though we had dates of our own. She said we matched each other and looked like we went together. I chuckled at her enthusiasm and after scrolling for a while, I saw a post that particularly caught my interest.

A compilation of the greatest couple on earth.

I clicked the read more button and saw that it was a very long post. It began with a little paragraph that said:

_A tribute to my OTP for life Harry Styles and (Y/F/N). From toddlers to teenagers, they stayed the best of friends and, along the way, fell in love._

I scrolled through our baby pictures, again how the hell did they get these pictures? I'd have to talk to Harry about that. Our younger awkward years came next and I cringed at my arms that were too long for my body. Harry was a cute little cherub, of course because he’s fucking perfect. There were pictures used in their story of my life music video and other instances such as Instagram and Twitter. Then came the proof section.

She focused on how we looked at each other. I looked through all the pictures she had of us. Last year in New York walking through Central Park, the Shed aquarium in Chicago (he was holding my hand because he was leading me away from the mollusk section), Disney World with the boys two years ago, and when we would visit each other in the U.S.

In each picture we were either always standing next to each other, looking, holding, or touching each other. She talked about how we would look at each other when the other wasn't looking, especially Harry.

There were so many pictures of Harry looking at me when I wasn't looking. They were all warm and loving. Harry only looked at me like that a few times and he was either drunk or we were in a deep conversation. In all these pictures there was so much love in his eyes and a warm smile on his face. I felt something flicker in my chest.

This...this was the proof I needed. With all these pictures and all the instances that occurred on this trip, I was almost positive there was some proof that Harry liked me more than a friend. There was a video at the bottom of an interview that said "The moment I knew they were real." I clicked on it and waited for it to load with a fast beating heart.

Harry was sitting in an interview with Louis, the other three must have been in another interview. It was from a few years ago, right around the time when the fans started to notice my existence.

“So, Harry, recently you’ve been seen with this girl and sending flirty messages through twitter,” said the interviewer off screen, “What we want to know is, who is she? Where did she come from?”

Louis looked over at Harry giving him a huge smile, eyebrows rising, while Harry gave a dimpled but shy smile.

“I wouldn’t say our twitter messages are flirty,” said Harry almost quietly.

“Well, I mean, you both seem pretty close,” the interviewer amended.

“She’s a very close friend of mine, yes,” Harry revealed, a warm smile on his face.

“Close friend?” fished the interviewer.

“She’s my childhood friend. We’ve known each other since we were toddlers.”

“That explains a lot,” said the man, “You two seem like two peas in a pod.”

“You should see these two when they’re actually together, it’s mental,” chimed Louis, “I have to add this. These two are excruciating to be around because this one,” Louis said, grabbing Harry’s shoulders and shaking him a bit, “is hard to manage as it is. When the two are together, it becomes absolute chaos because they’re either ‘causing shenanigans, or hurting themselves from lack of coordination.”

“To be fair, I’m the one who falls all the time,” Harry corrected, “I just pull her down too to make me look better.”

After more silly stories that made my cheeks hurt from smiling so much, the interviewer asked, “So, since she moved away all those years ago how did you two manage to stay in touch?”

“It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. When she moved I thought I’d never see her again. We promised each other, like we made these rules on sheets of paper that we each kept promising to stay in touch. We sent letters and emails. Facebook helped and skype was basically how we talked. Schedules were a bit weird but we made it work.”

“It’s about a six or seven hour difference, right?”

“Yeah, but you know, it’s the midnight conversations that keep you awake ‘til you look at the clock and realize it’s 4 in the morning that kept us close. Whenever I’m upset, she knows, even when I’m countries away. We make each other laugh without any, uh inhibitions I guess. Like, even if you know you shouldn’t or don’t want to, the kind of relationship we have makes us do things like that.”

“So she’s a keeper then?” asked the interviewer.

“Has been since I met her.”

The video stopped and so did my fears.

_If you’re not convinced these two belong together, then you need glasses._

I was convinced. I became excited. I was going to tell Harry how I felt. I got up off the couch to shake out my nerves and excitement. Harry would walk through the door and I would tell him I loved him.

Okay, I’d tell him I liked him more than a friend. We couldn’t shock him too much…if he didn’t already know.

Minutes turned into another hour and Harry still wasn’t home. I checked the time and it was a few minutes after 11. I decided to go up to the roof to get some fresh air and to calm my worries. I grabbed two blankets from the closet and made my way to the roof. Luckily, there wasn’t too much snow but the cold was just as startling as ever. I found a dry spot and set one blanket down on the floor. I sat and wrapped the edges over my legs and draped the other one around my body.

I looked out over the river at the glowing city of London. My hair, still curly from tonight, blew with the cold wind, but it was refreshing in a way. I sighed and tried not to get too impatient for Harry to come back. I saw something move out of the corner of my eye and turned to see a pair of glowing eyes.

After, the initial shock, I realized what was staring at me.

“Hey there,” I said to the cat, “How’s it goin?”

Now that the cat had my attention, its tail slowly curled back and forth behind it. It was perched on the ledge and I admired its balance.

“You freaked me out the other night,” I said, trying to get a better look at the creature but it was too far away. The cat just continued to stare so I looked back out at the city. A few moments went by until I felt weight on the blanket near my knee. I looked down to see the cat was rubbing it’s head on my knee. I was hesitant to touch the cat, since it was a stray, but he seemed healthy enough so I untangled my hand from the blanket around me and stroked its head. It purred and I smiled.

“To be honest, I’m not much of a cat person,” I said, scratching under its chin, “But you seem like a cool cat.”

I remembered that Harry knew about this cat, and knowing Harry, he probably feeds it whenever he can.

“You probably came over ‘cause I smell like Harry,” I said, inhaling his scent through the fabric. The cat then fit his head through the opening of the blanket near my hand and I realized he was cold.

“Oh, alright,” I said, opening the blanket. The cat sidled over my legs and curled in on itself in my lap. I wrapped the blanket around me again, shielding the cat as well.

At least I wasn’t as lonely anymore.

I just wished Harry would hurry.

“So you don’t have a name, right?” I spoke, mostly to myself for distraction. The cat didn’t meow or purr so I kept talking.

“Hmmm, let’s see…” I began, racking my brain for any thoughts, “Zayn named his new kitten Tiger so I can’t name you that.” I tapped my fingers on my ankle and kept thinking of a name that could work, “I could be really mean, since its Christmas time, and name you something like Mistletoe or Rudolph.”

I tried to think of something unique. My mind then started to wander to opening presents on Christmas with Harry.

“Presents…” I whispered to myself, “Presents…gifts…Gift?” I looked down at the cat through the blanket, “How about Gift?”

The cat moved his paw and placed in on my ankle next to my fingers. That was good enough for me.

Gift and I sat there for about another ten minutes when the light from Harry’s room lit up the roof through the glass ceiling. I turned and made my way to the glass and Gift beat me too it. He was actually a pretty cat for being a stray. He had pale green eyes and a white body with a gold colored tail and spot covering his ear and most of his eye. We both looked down and saw Harry in his room fumbling around and throwing clothes, almost tripping on them. He seemed to be in a hurry and he looked absolutely frantic.

“We should probably go,” I said as I made my way to the door. It was finally time to tell him how I felt. I opened it and looked at Gift, “You coming?”

He looked at me for a bit and then walked off to the ledge where he came from. I just watched him leave, “Until next time then.”

I walked down the stairs, still wrapped in the blankets, and shut the door behind me when I made it inside, “Harry?”

He leaned outside the door, shaking his curls left and right looking for me. I giggled until I saw just how frantic he looked, “There you are!”

He came over to me and took me by the shoulders, “I don’t have much time to explain so please, (Y/N), just let me explain-“

“Harry!” I exclaimed, as he was ushered me into the living room, “What are you-“

I looked down and saw his overnight bag mostly packed.

I turned around and looked right at him. He gave me an apologetic look, “(Y/N)-“

“Where are you going?” I asked, sounding more hurt than I wanted. He threw his briefs in the bag and zipped it up.

“(Y/N), there’s been a change of plans and I’m going to spend the night at Sam’s,” he said, straightening and looking at me.

I was speechless for a bit and when I spoke, I could barely recognize my voice, “But…why?”

“…We both thought it’d be best if…if I stayed at her place tonight,” he said looking away. My throat felt like it was closing on me, “I thought we were gonna hang out after the gala?”

Harry pursed his lips and picked up his bag, moving to the door, “I’m sorry, (Y/N). I’ll…I’ll see you in the morning.”

I panicked. Harry was acting strange. I knew what Samantha wanted and had planned for them once they were alone. I didn’t want that. I didn’t want that at all. Before he reached the door, I grabbed him by the arm, stopping him.

“Wait! Harry,” I pleaded. He looked at me, surprised, and I before I could stop myself, my mouth moved on its own.

“I like you.”

Harry looked at me like I was a new person, like I had come back to life after years of being dead, “…You what?”

I swallowed my fears, “I…I like you, Harry.”

I began to talk due to the terrifying silence in the flat.

“Harry, please don’t go. It physically hurts me when I see you with Samantha. She’s trying to control you, trying to _change_ you! Harry, I’ve liked you for years and I was always too scared to tell you. Then you became famous and became a super star and…and I was scared at first, especially when your fans started harassing me, but Harry I would deal with everything they would throw at me without a second glance because you mean _everything_ to me.”

Harry stood there wide eyed and silent and I became frightened, “Harry, please say something.”

He finally spoke, “You…like me?”

I sighed, “Yes…for a long time now.”

Harry looked from my face down to the ground and ran his long fingers through his hair, pushing it back. He took a deep breath and gathered himself, “(Y/N) I…I have to-“

Before he could talk, I opened up the post with all the photos of him looking at me, “Look at these,” I put the phone in front of his face and scrolled down, showing him, “Look at these photos of you looking at me. Look at all these photos of us together and then look at me. Harry you’re the only man to ever make me feel like I’m weightless. You’re the only man to make me feel like I’m having a heart attack when you smile at me. And don’t joke about doing that to your fans, because when I was thirteen, I developed a crush on a gangly, curly haired, boy who was across the Atlantic Ocean! Harry I’d do anything for you. I like you for your puns and your jokes, I like you when your hair is all over the place, I like you for your personality, your style, your kindness, your smile, and…just you! I like _you_ , Harry!”

I felt like I was going to start crying, “And if these pictures and your actions lately mean anything…you might like me too…?”

Harry looked like he was having an all-out war with himself. He was silent but looked back and forth from different spots on the ground. Realizing I had just made the biggest mistake of my life, I tried to back track.

“Um, so, I…uh…” I said, mortified how this was going. This wasn’t going as planned at all. Fuck.

Stupid. I was so fucking stupid. I turned to face away from Harry and hide my face in embarrassment. Suddenly, I felt Harry’s big hand wrap around mine. I looked down at my hand in his and looked up at his face. He was staring intently at me and slowly, but firmly pulled me into him and-

Harry’s lips were on mine.

My mind went completely blank. It happened so suddenly that I couldn’t register what was happening. This is not what I was expecting at all. It was what I was hoping for but I didn’t think it would actually happen. I had wanted this for so long. Since I was thirteen years old, I’ve wanted to kiss Harry but now that it was happening, I didn’t know what to do. He was kissing me. He was kissing me now instead of going out and spending a night with Samantha. He was holding me against him on the small of my back with my hand in his other one, keeping me close, so secure, like he’d never let me go; like he didn’t want to let me go. His plump, smooth lips fit perfectly on mine.

I closed my eyes and let out the breath that I had been holding since Harry made contact. My mind melted, like soft serve ice cream in the summer sun. Before I could kiss back, however, Harry broke the kiss, his lips lingering a bit. I opened my eyes and met his, half lidded, looking into mine. My face felt hot, whether from the blood rushing to my face, or the close proximity of his, I couldn’t tell. We stood there, silent and still. One of us had to make the first move, and I wasn’t going to be the one to initiate it.

After what seemed like an eternity, he spoke, “…(Y/N), I have to go...I’m sorry.”

I just stared at him, not really sure what to say. I was still trying to process what just happened.

He looked up at the oven clock, “I’m gonna be late,” he said moving away from me to grab his coat. I looked at the table, not knowing where else to look. My heart was still pounding in my chest, beating a mile a minute. I could hear him moving around, gathering his things behind me. I heard the jingle of his keys as he called my name.

“(Y/N).”

I turned around and looked at him, my eyes were glossy but not teary. I stared at him, trying my best to keep a poker face, to hide my emotions. I was so confused. I was desperate. I didn’t want him to leave, especially after what just happened, after he took my breath away like that.

“I’ll be back later…in the morning.”

We looked each other once more in the eyes. I didn’t say a word, but I hoped. I looked into his green orbs and silently begged.

_Please._

Harry turned, opened the door, and left without another word.

I stood there, motionless. Seconds turned to minutes as I stared at the door. Fifteen minutes went by until I was finally stirred from my daze by my tears falling from my eyes, down my cheeks, and over my lips. Lips that, minutes ago, were held captive against his. This wasn’t supposed to happen, not like this.

I pictured this happening so many times. We would kiss, after I told him I loved him and that he felt the same, after he told me I was the one he thought of before going to bed and the one he wanted to see when he woke in the morning. We would kiss, and laugh at how stupid we were for waiting so long to realize we both loved each other. This wasn’t like Harry. He wouldn’t just leave me like this. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

He wasn’t supposed to leave me behind.

A sob broke from my mouth, escaping from my lungs. Like a dam giving way, I went to cover my mouth, fearing that someone would hear me. But I was alone.

I had never been so lonely. I was not this lonely when I moved back to America, because he was still mine. He was still my Harry: innocent, youthful, happy, and free. It was different now. The spark of fun that was always present in Harry’s eyes were gone. It was only a matter of time before I would be gone from his eyes too.

I took out my phone and texted Perrie and Louis.

_I need to talk to you. Please text me back. It’s really important._

I couldn’t text my sisters. They were back in America and that would only cause worry which would only bring more stress.

A half hour went by and I received no texts. I didn’t want to be alone, sitting here crying while the love of my life was out with another woman and wouldn’t be back until morning…after being with that woman.

I looked around the apartment, tears blurring my vision, and I saw a picture of the boys, the one I admired when I first walked into Harry’s flat. I saw Niall’s face, his eyes looking right at me.

Niall.

I unlocked my phone and texted him.

_Hey whatcha up to?_

I held my phone, waiting and hopeful. Within moments, he responded.

**_Hey! Just chillin with some of the lads what’s the craic?_ **

I wiped my eyes, typing away.

_Harry went out and I’m here alone and bored. Can I come hang with you?_

He responded right away, ** _Of course! I’ll send Bressie over to get ya! Here’s his number._ **

I responded telling him I’d be ready. I went into my bedroom and found a cute light blue sweater to wear with my leggings. I teased my hair and fixed my make-up, making sure it was water proof. I picked up Harry’s beanie on instinct but after staring at it for a while, I dropped it on the floor and walked to the living room.

I pulled myself together, even though I felt like the world was crashing around me. I needed a drink. I needed a drink and I needed a friend and Niall could provide both. After another excruciating twenty minutes, Bressie texted me that he was outside. I ran down the steps, avoiding the bad one, and made it outside to the warm car.

The drive was quick and not awkward like I thought it would be. Bressie was very easy to talk to and helped me get my mind off of what happened earlier. When we arrived at Niall’s I could already hear the boys shouting inside and laughing.

We made it inside and it was definitely a party. There was tons of different kinds of alcohol all over the living room table and the kitchen. There was music in the background and the majority of people seemed to be yelling. There were about 5 people there, not including me and Bressie, and I noticed they were all guys.

Oh my goodness, what did I get myself into?

“(Y/N)!” I heard Niall’s voice and he made his way over to me, hugging me close to him. He reeked of alcohol, “How are you?”

“We just saw each other like two hours ago,” I giggled, hugging him back.

“Too long,” Niall said, drunkenly dramatic, pulling away and looking at my face, “You’re so pretty. Look at you. I’m gonna kiss you.”

“No, no, no,” I said, turning away from him, “None of that. Come on.”

“No, not on the lips, on the cheek,” he whined, trying to get me to face him.

“You promise?” I warned.

“I swear on my dead goldfish’s grave,” he said seriously.

“…You swear on the toilet?”

“Yes,” he said, peppering my face with kisses. I laughed and he wrapped a hand around my waist and led me inside, “Lads! This is (Y/N)! She’s a good friend of Harry and mine.”

My heart felt like it had been sucker punched. I didn’t want to hear his name.

“Got anything good to drink?” I asked.

Niall smiled at me and lowered his eyelids, “I thought you’d never ask.”

* * *

 

I was drunk.

Scratch that, I was insanely drunk.

My head was screaming for sleep but my body was itching for dancing and having fun. I met Niall’s friends and they knew I was off limits so it was nice to just relax and joke around with them. They were cheeky and one tried to dare me to take my shirt off but as drunk as I was, I was still a classy lady.

Niall laughed as his friend told him a funny story about his girlfriend. He scooted over to me and asked, “How you feelin’?”

“Amaziiiiiiiiing,” I drawled, holding my cup, “I forgot why I was sad in the first place!”

“You were sad?” asked Niall, a bit more sober than I was.

“Oh, I told Harry I liked him,” I said, laughing, “I made myself look like a fucking idiot and told him how I felt. Then he picked up his bag and left me to go fuck Samantha. Oh! And he kissed me!”

Niall hollered, “He did _what!?”_

“Yeah! I know! He kissed me and Niall ooooooohhhhhh myyyyyyyy Goooooooooooood it was amaaaaaaazing. But…but then he left me for her,” I said, tearing up. Oh God. I was going to cry, drunk out of my mind.

“Hey, hey, hey,” he says, pulling me into him, “No tears! Not in my house. Come on! Let’s take a picture!”

There were so many warnings in my head saying NO! Don’t do it! He’s a celebrity and we might get in trouble and then all hell’s gonna break loose! But instead, I just smiled and said, “Okay!!”

Niall lifted his phone and screamed, “Make a funny face!” I was so drunk I forgot how to make a funny face. I could only imagine it looked insane. He laughed and said, “Perfect!”

The night seemed like a blur but I had so much fun. I danced and sang and I fell onto the couch more than once but I was always helped back up by a helping hand. The night seemed to go on forever and I didn’t want it to stop. I looked up at the clock and two hours had gone by like the blink of an eye. I sat with Niall on the couch, singing along with the music, when Niall’s friend Mickey came up to us.

“Niall, mate, I think someone’s banging on your door.”

Niall smiled widely at that, “Let’s go see who’s here!”

He got up from the couch and I moved to go with him but I fell back and started giggling at my own silliness. I watched Niall move to the door, surprisingly with ease in his drunkenness, and he opened the door.

“Heeeeey!!” cheered Niall, “It’s Harry Styles!”

My eyes widened and I felt like I was going to throw up and it wasn’t because of the alcohol in my body. I watched him come in and he had a look of fury on his face. I had never seen him so angry before. He yelled something to Niall and Niall just laughed and pointed at the couch…at me.

Oh shit.

Harry’s eyes landed on me and I got up to get away but it was much too quick for my drunken state to handle. I toppled over onto the other side of the couch and immediately began to hate myself. Maybe getting as drunk as possible to forget my misery wasn’t the best idea.

Harry’s face came into view and his strong arms lifted me off the couch into a standing position. My legs were like jello and refused to work so he was holding me up against his chest.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?” yelled Harry, completely infuriated.

“Iiiiiiiieeeeeeee…uuhhhhhhhhhhh…”

“Shit, (Y/N), how drunk are you?” he asked, clutching onto my back as I leaned backwards and threatened to fall over.

“Fffffffuck…fuck you!” I yelled. Yeah that would show him.

Harry’s eyes widened and his eyebrows furrowed, “I’m taking you home.”

“NO!” I yelled, pushing against him to get out of his grasp but he was way too strong for me to even try to fight against him, especially how I was, “You’re a jerk! I’m gonna stay here with the cool kids!”

“(Y/N), you’re coming home with me _right now_ ,” he said, voice lowering dangerously. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of Niall’s friends, who I befriended earlier, make a move towards us but Niall stopped him and distracted him with another beer.

I looked down at his chest and mumbled into it, “You left me.”

“(Y/N), let’s get you home-“

“You left me!” I yelled, “You left me at your flat and you went to fuck fucking Samantha! Right after I told you I liked you for years! You fucking bastard!”

Harry looked hurt and quickly turned serious, “We’re leaving. _Now._ ”

Before I could object again, he wrapped his arms around me and lifted me up, carrying me to the door.

"Harry, you put me down right fucking hoooooo," I groaned, "I'm gonna be sick."

Being above ground did nothing for my inner balance and I did begin to feel sick. I just wanted to lie down. Oh Lord why did I drink so much?

Niall laughed uncontrollably as Harry made it to the door with me in tow, "You'll thank me later!"

"Fuck you, Niall," said Harry in a way that guys would say to each other and offend but be endearing at the same time. I looked past Harry's shoulder and started shouting goodbyes.

"BYE SEAN! BYE BRESSIE! BYE MICKEY! BYE-"

Harry covered my mouth and said, "Stop shouting in my ear, (Y/N), Jesus."

"You shut your fucking mouth you heartbreaker!...Drink maker!"

"Just shush and get in the car, (Y/N)...those aren’t even the right lyrics."

Harry placed me into the front seat of his car and buckled me up nice and tight. Once he was in the driver's seat and turned on the ignition, I was out like a light.

When I woke up again, we were parked in the barn like building of his flat. He was on my side, unbuckling me and helping me out of the car. I was so tired...too tired to even stand. I slumped and heard Harry say, "fuck it," and then I felt gravity spin in a whole different direction. Harry carried me up the stairs and my head dropped, my eyelids too heavy to even keep open. He unlocked the door and this time he didn't hit my head. At least there was that.

He laid me down on the couch and I groaned something. I didn't know what I said but all I heard was Harry hurrying across his flat and coming back with something that sounded like a grocery bag. I smelled cheap plastic and that's when I finally hurled up my drinks.

My throat burned from the alcohol and tears began running out of the corners of my eyes. I just kept throwing up and I was scared the trash bin would overflow. Luckily, I stopped in time and Harry helped me up to the bathroom. When I got there I threw up once more and that was it. There was no more in my system. I didn't feel sick anymore, thank goodness, but the exhaustion hit me with a vengeance. Harry helped me wash my face and brush my teeth. He sat me down on his bed and went to go throw out my puke telling me to get dressed while he was gone. I tried to get undressed but found it to be too difficult until he got back in the room.

Harry sighed and helped me change into my pajamas. I kept my leggings on so all I needed was a top which Harry provided. I put it on and I tried to unclip my bra with the shirt still on. I couldn’t get it so I looked up at Harry and, without saying a word, moved a big hand underneath the shirt, ghosting over my skin and unclipped the bra. I got my bra off and threw it at his face. He was blushing and I smirked, "You get those thrown at you every concert. You should be used to them by now."

Harry frowned at me, "They're not yours, (Y/N)."

I gave him an angry look, "I'm going to bed," I said as I got up to go to my room. I was very done with this little game he was playing.

"You're sleeping here," said Harry.

“Leave me alone, Harry!” I warned, already up and moving toward the door. I was still awkward with my balance so I fell over onto the dresser next to the bed. “Ow…ow, ow, ow,” I said, pain stinging my sides, tears threatening to fall from my eyes. There was going to be a bruise there for sure. Harry rushed over to me to help me up but I pushed his hand away gently.

“Leave me alone,” I said, more quietly this time, “You’re not my brother and you’re not my boyfriend, so stop touching me and leave me alone.”

Harry leaned down and put his face right in front of mine. I saw dark circles under his eyes. He looked tired.

“I’m your friend, (Y/N), and I care about you more than the good majority of people I know. Now you’re going to sleep here tonight so I can make sure you don’t hurt yourself and so you won’t be alone.”

I steadied myself on his arms and gazed into his eyes, “Kiss me?”

Harry’s eyes widened the slightest bit and I saw his Adam’s apple move up and down as he swallowed, “You…you just puked your brains out. I’m not kissing you…besides you probably won’t remember what happened tonight.”

I dropped my eyes to the floor and fought the quivering of my lips, “Then hold me? Please?”

Harry’s broad shoulders encased me in his chest as he held me close. He rested his head on my cheek and smoothed my hair down with his hand. I sobbed and shook in his embrace. He led me to the bed and I laid down, turned away from him. I was pathetic. This was the most embarrassing moment of my life. I felt Harry wrap an arm around my rib cage and pull me into him, securing me in case I wanted to escape.

“Harry, why can’t we just be in love and be happy?”

A few moments passed until I felt Harry’s hand move my hair off my shoulders and his lips press against the back of my neck.

“Go to sleep, (Y/N), we’ll talk in the morning.”

I closed my eyes and prayed that I would wake up back in my bedroom in America, and that this trip would turn into a bad dream.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm so sorry for making you guys wait a month! Hope you guys enjoy!
> 
> My tumblr: http://spring1924.tumblr.com/

I woke up feeling more exhausted than I have ever felt. I was a bit sore and my head was pounding. I could feel my heart beat in my forehead. I remembered drinking last night with Niall after Harry turned me down…right. That actually happened.

Last night was…fun but it was bittersweet. I needed to forget about Harry and Samantha being together. It hurt knowing that Harry left me for her. After years of the two of us being together, now it was finally coming to an end. He would continue his career with One Direction, find a woman to love, if not Samantha…let’s hope, and I would move on...I guess. It would take years…but I’d be there for Harry if he needed. I’d go to his wedding and give him my support because that’s what friends do. And as his best friend, I would give him my honest opinion about everything, like always. But now that I confessed my love for him, could we still be friends?

I shouldn’t have told him. I shouldn’t have told him and now I’m in Niall’s guest bed with some random person, using me as a hug pillow. Knowing me, I probably made out with at the party. God, this was going to be so awkward.

I opened my eyes and saw a glass ceiling revealing a white sky.

…Glass ceiling?

Oh no.

I turned my head, slowly, and my cheek hit Harry’s bare collar bone.

My eyes widened.

Oh fuck.

I was in Harry’s flat.

I was in Harry’s bed.

I couldn’t remember anything. I remembered drinking at Niall’s and then everything became a blur. I thought I could picture Harry carrying me to the door but I wasn’t sure if it was real or a dream. I just knew I needed to get out of here.

Harry had his arms wrapped around me, securing me to him, and I had to delicately pry myself from his embrace without waking him. He made a soft groan and my heart stopped. His eyes were still closed and he turned his head into his pillow and his breathing continued normally. I breathed out silently and thanked God he didn't wake. I finally reached the end of the bed and slowly got up so I didn't disturb him. I tried to make my feet weightless as I made my way to the door. I opened it and-

It fucking squeaks.

I held my breath and looked at Harry. He was still asleep. Thank you Jesus for making him a heavy sleeper.

I went through the door and hurried to my room. I sat against the door and tried to get my thoughts together. I could only remember bits and pieces of last night. Going to Niall’s, having a few drinks, Harry’s angry face…throwing my bra? I checked and I didn’t have my bra on. Perfect.

Then the memory of asking him to kiss me hit me like a ton of bricks. Oh no. No no no, God! I hid my face in my arms and cried from embarrassment. I had to leave. I had to get out of here. This whole trip was a mistake. My plan had failed and possibly ruined my friendship with Harry. I made a fool of myself and I couldn’t face Harry knowing what happened, especially since he was sober.

I wanted to go home. I wanted to get away from all this mayhem and this…fucking shitty mess. I was giving up. I was done.

I needed to leave before Harry woke up, so I packed up everything in the room and bathroom into my suitcase. I brushed my hair, but on my winter jacket and my beanie, and called a taxi. I took out Harry’s present and put it on the island in the kitchen. I bought it months earlier and was hoping that we would have been a couple when he opened it but now I was reconsidering giving it to him.

It was an anchor necklace. I knew he loved the symbolism of being anchored to your beliefs and morals in the hype and chaos of fame. I saw it months ago and knew I had to get it for him. I left it and wrote another note.

_Hey Harry,_

_I decided to go home. I know it’s spur of the moment but I thought it was for the best. About what I said last night, I’m sorry I made things awkward, but what I said was true. I’ve liked you for a long time and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. We both know I’ve always had really poor timing. I just want you to know it’s fine that you don’t feel the same. I’ll get over these feelings and we can stay friends, if you’ll be okay with that. I really hope so because I don’t know what I’ll do if you’re not in my life. Give my love to Anne, Robin, and Gem for me. I love you and I hope we’ll see each other again soon._

I wiped my eyes before my tears could hit the paper. I sighed and took one last look around the flat and left, closing the door behind me. I walked down the steps, avoiding that stupid stair, and waited for the taxi. A few minutes later, he arrived and I hopped in, “To the airport, please,” I said. I leaned my head against the window and silently cried to myself, knowing I would be home in America thousands of miles away from Harry, by tomorrow...well, today actually.

We arrived at the airport and I paid the driver. I hurried inside from the cold and waited in line to get my plane ticket. I heard a lot of grumbling and complaints and the line seemed to be going quickly. It was finally my turn and before I could speak, the woman said, “I’m sorry, but all Atlantic flights have been cancelled.”

My eyes widened in shock, “All of them!?”

She nodded, “There’s a huge polar vortex heading for the states. All flights over the Atlantic have been cancelled until further notice.”

I nodded and thanked her, moving out of the way. I walked to a bench and sat down, not knowing what to do. I put my head in my hands and fought the urge to cry. Thank goodness I didn’t tell anyone at home I was leaving yet but now…now I had nowhere to go. I could stay at Perrie’s but that would be so weird and Harry would probably come looking for me there and he probably wouldn't want to see me and…I sighed. I couldn’t keep thinking like this. I needed to hail a cab and go back into the city. Suddenly, my phone beeped and it said that the battery life was at 20%. Shit. I turned off my phone in case I needed it for later and sat in the cab while it drove along the road. I closed my eyes and I remembered another memory from last night.

I was drinking with Niall and Harry came to the party. I tried to run away but I was way too drunk to even stand right. He was angry and carried me to the door. Oh God he _carried_ me. Then we reached the car…he helped me in…and then I was at a loss. I couldn’t remember anything else.

I was going to get a headache if I kept trying to remember what happened. After a while, in the taxi, I asked him to stop in London near a familiar café. I paid him and got out, walking inside with my bags, and sat near the window. I looked out at the falling snow and kept my coat on.

A polar vortex. Just my luck. All I wanted was to go home and lay on my couch and hide from the world.

But I couldn’t. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t emancipate myself entirely from Harry. He had a part of me that would always stay with him. A part of me would always love him romantically and like family. Realizing this, tears threatened to fall from my eyes and I quickly wiped them away on my gloves, hoping no one would notice. I took a deep breath and sighed. I looked at the café menu and wanted to get something but I only had spare change left. The taxi ride to and from the airport used up all my European cash. That was fine, though, because I could just use my credit card. I pulled out my wallet and where my credit card should have been was a little note. I opened it and it was from my sister.

_Hey, (Y/N)!_

_I needed money to buy tickets to the Jingle Bash Concert. Since you’re with Harry, I figure you’d be covered. I promise I’ll pay you back. Have fun and good luck! ;)_

I smashed my forehead on the table and groaned. I was going to kill her!

I sat at the table and looked out the window, trying to think of a plan. I had no money and I couldn’t go home. I had a place to go, but only as a last resort which was looking like my only option. I watched the snow fall and felt myself relax until I felt someone watching me. I turned and saw two girls in the corner of the café staring at me. I smiled and turned back to the window. I prayed they wouldn’t be a problem. It wouldn’t be the first time someone recognized me.

They approached my table and I felt my anxiety rise, “Excuse me,” one of them asked. I looked up and gave them a smile, “Hi, there, can I help you?”

“Can we take a picture with you?” asked one of them.

I nodded, “Sure,” I said. I took a picture with each of them and they both thanked me immensely. They seemed really nervous and giddy so I tried to make it easy for them, “Would you like to take a seat?”

They nodded and happily sat. It was really surreal how people acted around people who were somewhat related to celebrities. 

“We just wanted to say we thought you looked amazing at the Christmas Gala,” one said. She had beautiful orange red hair and matching amber eyes. Freckles adorned her cheeks and she had an adorable smile. “Thank you so much,” I said, trying not to blush, “I love your sweatshirt.” They both giggled and I inwardly sighed. Oh, right, in England they call them jumpers, “I mean, your jumper,” I said.

“Oh no!” said her friend. She had black curly short hair. She had beautiful pale skin and reminded me of snow white in a way. She had dark brown eyes but radiated warmth, “Please don’t think we were laughing at you. We don’t meet many Americans and I love hearing your accent and the different names you use for things,” she smiled, “I’m Abriana.” Her friend introduced herself next, “I’m Liv.”

I shook both their hands and smiled back, “I’m (Y/N), it’s nice to meet you two.”

“I hope you don’t think we were bring creepy,” said Liv, “We couldn’t help but notice how familiar you look. We’re fans of One Direction.”

I smiled, not surprised at all, “That’s alright. You two seem like nice girls…I’ve had worse,” I joked.

“That’s why we approached you,” said Abriana, “We knew you knew we knew who you were so we came over.” We laughed at her statement. “Can I ask you something without being too forward?” she asked.

“Why am I not with Harry?” I asked.

She blushed, “Well, um, yes, but more so, why are you alone?”

I was a bit taken back. I was unsure how to answer without giving too much information.

“Abri,” reprimanded Liv, giving her a look.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to pry,” she said, trying to defend herself.

“No, no, it’s really okay,” I said, “I just wanted to get some fresh air, that’s all.”

“…With your bags?” asked Liv.

I pursed my lips. Right. My bags.

They seemed to sense the tension so Abriana spoke.

“…So, are you...staying with Harry?” asked Abriana.

Instead of freaking out like my instincts told me to, I assessed the situation. These girls meant no harm and I already screwed things up. What more harm could I do?

“Well yeah,” I said, like it was obvious, “he’s my best friend.”

They both gasped and tried not to squeal, “That’s fantastic!” Liv said, happily.

My face broke out in a grin, “Why?”

“Because we think you two are adorable together!” confessed Abriana.

I blushed and looked down at the table, “Oh, no, jeez,” I laughed, “Sorry girls, Harry and I are just friends.”

They both deflated, “Aw what?” asked Abriana.

“Seriously? There isn't _anything_ between you two?” asked Liv.

I shrugged, “Sorry…besides, it would never work out.”

“Would you want it to?” asked Liv.

Before I could answer, Abriana said, “Okay, now _that’s_ stepping over the line.”

Liv nodded, “You’re right, I’m sorry. I just think you two would be a very cute couple.”

I laughed, “You wouldn’t be the only ones. Our mothers have been trying for years.”

The girls burst out laughing and squealed again. They were lovely to talk to. They would ask questions about the boys, our childhood, and how I handled being around celebrities as best I could. Finally we entered a discussion of cute clothes and normal everyday things one would talk about. No recording sessions, no celebrity meetings, no paparazzi stories, just nice funny stories and girl talk. It was very refreshing talking to non-celebrities. It felt like I was at home a bit, besides seeing Big Ben out in the distance.

After what seemed like a long period of time, I asked, “Do either of you know what time it is?”

Liv checked her phone, “It’s a quarter past 2,” she said.

I was shocked. I had been in the café for 2 hours. Time flew by thanks to these girls and it was enjoyable. After a short bit, I saw a flash of light and looked out the window. There were paparazzi near the window.

“Oh no,” I sighed, getting up.

“We didn’t tweet anything,” said Abriana, a bit panicked.

“I know,” I said, moving away from the window, “You barely touched your phones, it’s okay, I just have to get out of here.” I looked around and didn’t want to make a scene, “Can I ask a huge favor of you two?”

They both agreed, “Sure, what do you need?”

“Would you two walk out with me?” I asked, “The more people there are, the less likely it is that they’ll follow for too long.” They both agreed and I told them not to say anything to them or encourage them. They understood and walked close to me. We walked out of the café, with my bags, and made our way to the bus stop. Paps took our pictures, some asked who the girls were, others asked where Harry was, and all of them wondered why I had my bags on me, and I had enough. I looked down and I felt Liv’s hand against my lower back and Abriana’s eyes on me. The bus finally came and we boarded, paying for a ride, and leaving the paparazzi behind. We sighed, relaxing on the bus, and I set down my bags.

“Do you always deal with that?” asked Abriana.

I smiled, “It’s worse in America.”

“Jesus,” breathed Liv.

We rode the bus and talked more until they’re stop was the next one. Liv asked for my permission to post the pics of us. I happily agreed and thanked her and Abriana for their help and for keeping me company. I promised them I’d tell Harry they said hi and they lit up like fireworks and walked off the bus. I rode and looked out the window at the traffic and city. My mind kept circling back to Harry.

Of course he saw I left. Did he read the note? Was he wondering where I was? He probably thinks I’m on my way home to America right now. I decided to get off at the next stop.

I walked off the bus, thanked the driver, and made my way to the sidewalks. I walked around, hungry, tired, and unsure of what to do. I found a bench and sat, thinking of my next plan of action. An older woman sat beside me and I continued to look at the ground, trying to look busy in some way.

“You look sad,” she said. I looked up, surprised that she did want to talk to me. I smiled at her, “Oh, I’m alright.”

She gave me a look, “A pretty young woman, out in the cold, with her bags, looking at the ground like her world has been shattered doesn’t seem alright to me,” she said, “I have to wait for my grandson to pick me up. What’s on your mind?”

Where were all these nice people coming from? Was she apart of the media? She looked like a normal senior citizen and I was really tired and distressed. I just wanted someone to tell me it was going to be okay. Tears threatened to fall from my eyes and I covered my mouth.

“Oh, love,” she said, wrapping me in a hug, “I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

I shook my head and took a deep breath, “I’m sorry. It’s been a long day.”

She rubbed my back, “I’ve got time,” she said, giving me a warm smile.

“Where do I begin?” I joked. I explained as best as I could the situation without giving away too much detail and changing Harry’s name to Harold. Smooth. While I told the story, more memories of the night before came flooding back.

I passed out in the car, he carried me up the stairs and…Oh God…I threw up in a garbage bin and then the bathroom! I caved in embarrassment. Then he washed my face and made me brush my teeth…I was getting undressed and then-

He unclipped my bra.

Sweet Jesus this was a nightmare.

But then he got all flustered cause I threw my bra at him. Then I got mad at him for doing so? It was still a bit foggy. Oh shit.

I asked him to kiss me and he refused.

I wanted to hide from the world.

I told her everything in an appropriate manner leaving out the part where I was drunk, “So I confessed to him and…well…it didn’t go so well. He turned me down and went out with another girl he’s been seeing. I didn’t want to face him so I tried to go home but there’s apparently a giant polar vortex over the Atlantic so no planes are heading toward North America from here.”

“Oh, that’s why I’m waiting for my grandson. I was supposed to go to Mexico to meet up with my daughter, but seems there’s been a change of plans. You know, my grandson is single and you seem like such a lovely girl.”

My eyes widened and I giggled, “Oh, no, thank you,” I said, “Unfortunately, it’s probably going to be awhile until…until I get over him.”

She looked at me and I saw kindness in her eyes, “Well I feel sorry for him. I really do. You seem like a very fine young lady. Maybe someday, he’ll open his eyes and realize what he’s missing.”

I smiled sadly, “Maybe.”

She patted my hand, “Everything happens for a reason. You’ll see. Who knows? You might meet Prince Charming tomorrow!”

I laughed, “Let’s hope so!”

After another half hour, her grandson came and…he wasn’t too bad. He had nice sandy brown hair and gray eyes. He had a nice jaw…but not as nice as Harry’s. Yep, this was going to take a while.

The older woman got in the car, “I hope everything goes well for you, dear,” she said out the window, “you’re still so young. You’ve got your whole life ahead of you. Even if things don’t work out with him, tomorrow always brings something new.”

Hearing that made me feel immensely better and I thanked her from the bottom of my heart. They pulled away and I was left alone once again. The sun went down around five thirty in the afternoon and I sat and people watched for a good hour. I was itching to turn on my phone and call my sister. I wanted to hear her voice and tell her everything that happened. Unfortunately, that would eat my battery life and waste money. I would wait inside cafes and shops when it got too cold and then venture back out into the streets. At 6:30pm, I decided to turn on my phone and call Perrie. It was dark now and I couldn’t hide forever. I could stay at her place until I figured out what to do. I turned on my phone and it was at ten percent now which made me groan. Suddenly my phone vibrated loudly and wouldn’t stop.

I got a stream of messages from everyone. Perrie, Zayn, Louis, Eleanor, Liam, Sophia, and Niall.

They varied from:

Perrie: _(Y/N) where are you? Pick up your phone we’re all worried about you!_

Liam: _We went to the airport and all flights are cancelled so where are you!?_

Sophia: _We saw you on twitter please pick up the phone!_

Louis: _(Y/N) I swear to God when we find you, I am gonna kick your ass into next week!_

Zayn: _Everyone else is texting you so I don't see what good this'll do...but come home, (Y/N). We're all really worried._

Niall: _(Y/N)! I swear is you answer the phone I got a nice bottle of pink moscato waitin for ya! Call me when you get this!_

There were numerous missed calls and I scrolled through until I saw Harry’s name.

My heart stopped and I read his texts.

_(Y/N), please pick up the phone_

_I’m at the airport. Where are you?_

_We saw the pics on the internet where are you right now?_

_(Y/N), please I’m really worried at least text me back?_

_(Y/N) I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Just please please let me know you're okay_

My heart hurt but I didn’t want to face the rejection and awkwardness I knew was coming. But I knew I had to face him. I couldn’t keep everyone worrying about me. I pressed the phone app and then my screen went black saying I ran out of battery life.

“SON OF A _BITCH!_ ” I yelled in public. People stared at me, a teenage boy gave me a thumbs up, and I shuffled out of there with my bags. I didn’t have money, my phone was dead, and I was stuck with my bags in the middle of the huge city of London with my celebrity friends all looking for me. I felt pathetic, absolutely pathetic.

I walked and found myself at a very familiar sight. I was at the plaza with the giant Christmas tree in the middle of the square for all to see. My mom and Harry’s mom would take us all to get hot chocolate and look at the tree. Now I was standing alone, cold and tired, wanting nothing more than to go home to my family. Coming here as a kid made me hopeful for the future. When I was little, I imagined coming here with the man I loved and my own family in the years to come. I set my bags down and felt the weight of the day fall on my shoulders. I looked down, hid my face, and began to cry. This wasn’t supposed to happen. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I knew rejection was a possibility and I thought I was prepared for it but I was far from it.

I stood there like a child, looking at the multicolored bricks on the floor from the lights on the tree, and cried. Tears fell down my face and stained the bricks below me. I tried to control my shaking but I was so cold and I couldn’t help it. I didn’t even move to wipe the tears, I just let them fall.

Then I saw two large brown boots stop in front of me.

My eyes widened and I looked up to see the only person who could stay in my mind, no matter how hard I tried to keep him out.

Harry.

He walked closer to me and stared at my face until he finally spoke.

“…Found you,” he breathed, and pulled me into a bone crushing hug.

All the air in my lungs escaped my body and I couldn’t comprehend what was happening. He was so warm and I tried to speak but I couldn’t find the words. He pulled away from me and looked at me, “Where the _hell_ have you been!?” he asked, relieved but looking for answers.

I looked at him and saw that he was wearing layers upon layers of hoodies and down coats, which is what I should have done. He wore his beanie, the one I usually wore.

“I-I don’t…Harry…what-“

Harry pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket. It was my letter that I left for him. He looked me right in the eye, “This. (Y/N), what the fuck were you thinking?”

I muttered, “What do you mean-“

He interrupted me, “If you think you can just waltz out of my flat and leave me this note without hearing me out, then you’re sadly mistaken.”

I was so confused but my heart stopped when he wrapped his hand around the back of my neck and the other around my hip. He pulled me into him and I felt his warm soft lips purse against mine and he kissed me.

He was taller than me so he bent his head down. He held me against him and lifted me upwards on my toes while he moved his lips against mine. His lips were so warm that it almost felt like they were burning mine from how cold they were. I was surprised but didn’t move while he kissed me. I just put my hands on his chest and enjoyed the feeling, letting my mind go blank. When he pulled back, I looked into his green eyes and breathed for what felt like the first time in years.

I finally found my voice, “Harry, what are you doing?”

“I’m telling you how I feel, now that I finally can,” he said, rubbing his hands up and down my arms. I looked at him confused and he chuckled, “You keep running away from me before I can tell you anything. Granted, I haven’t been completely honest with you, but now,” he said, taking my hand, “now I’m going to tell you everything and you’re going to listen.”

I nodded, waiting for what he was going to tell me.

“I need you to know that I like you, (Y/N). I really, really, like you. I have for years.”

I looked like a deer in headlights, “What the f-“

He put his thumb on my mouth, “Let me finish.” I nodded, eyes still wide.

“When I first got famous I was happy because that meant I got to see you again in person. When I saw you again, I was floored by how pretty you had become. I always thought you were pretty and I think I always liked you, but it wasn't until I saw you in that Christmas card your mother sent to us when we were fifteen that I realized I in fact did like you. Then we skyped and hearing your laugh and seeing you smile at me won me over. Then when we met in person, I knew I was completely gone for you. And don’t get me started on how much I wanted to hold you close to me, especially since you had become so tiny next to me.”

I was blushing and I wanted to say I wasn’t that tiny but he continued.

“A few years ago, when you started getting the eye of the public because we were hanging out, I was…very excited. I planned on telling you how I felt and I was hoping you would feel the same way. I was going to fly out and surprise you when you went home for break but the day before I left you called me crying because you couldn’t get into your house. There were so many people and you told me how much harassment you were getting so…I decided not to tell you. You seemed so flustered, I didn’t think it’d be the right time, plus I wasn’t sure you felt the same.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I mentally pulverized my ass for that fuck up.

“It was so hard to hide my feelings for you. I would date these girl for PR stunts and make a name for myself but my heart was never in it. I would go shopping with them and think, ‘(Y/N) would look so cute in that.’ You were always on my mind, (Y/N). I would have the worst days and your texts or your voice and definitely your smile would make things better.”

Hearing this made me emotional. I fought so hard to fight back the tears, “But what about Samantha? What the hell was that all about?”

Harry sighed and looked pained, “In the beginning, she was just another PR stunt. We were supposed to be seen as lovers but we would both confirm to being friends only. Samantha saw all the popularity she was getting and convinced management to release that we were dating. She just kept building and building it up because she was getting noticed and booking more shoots and runway shows. I didn’t care. You weren’t my girlfriend and we were apart so I figured another stunt wouldn’t matter. It would eventually be dropped, no big deal. It wasn’t real, we didn’t kiss, and she was actually pretty nice in the beginning. When I saw you again in November, I knew I couldn’t do it any longer…any of it. I needed to tell you how I felt. I needed to see if you could be mine and I was going to confess, regardless of what happened…that was when she began to get mean.”

“She saw us together and knew right away we had a connection. No matter how much I tried to convince her to drop the whole stunt, she refused to listen. Then she started kissing me in public and making it known to the world we were, ‘seeing each other.’ We made an agreement through our managements that we would both drop or we would keep selling the story to the public. To sum it up the best I can, because it was mutual agreement to help the other in the eye of the public...I couldn’t say anything and I couldn’t do anything without repercussions. "

“So, as friends, I invited you to come back with me, here. I was going to figure out this whole situation with management and successfully get Samantha out of the picture,” I smiled when he said her full name, “When you went shopping, the day she showed up at my door, I told her I was talking to management and ending it.”

“…So that picture?” I asked.

Harry sighed, “I was just as surprised as you were,” he said, looking at his shoes, “I deleted it right away. I didn’t want her to use it against me. If she somehow twisted it, saying I released it, she’d become a victim. She came over unannounced and,” he began to laugh, “that comment you made was absolutely priceless.”

He laughed and I chuckled with him. That _was_ pretty good. I’m glad he appreciated it.

Once he finished laughing he said, “She came over and told me I had to follow rules. I couldn’t tell any ‘stupid’ jokes, I had to be near her at all times, and just...so much bullshit. I told her I wanted to be done with it. All of it. I didn’t want to be with her. Then she actually tried to seduce me. I told her if she came anywhere near me I’d end it regardless of what happened. She got angry. She accused you of ruining everything. I said it was the contrary. She got mad and told me to pack an overnight bag for after the gala. Management set up a nice dinner and then we’d ‘spend the night’ with each other, letting the paps see our bags and everything. She actually wanted to go through with it. I had other plans.”

I looked away from him, “…but you left me.” He tilted my face back to look at him.

“I’m sorry,” he said, pulling me into a hug, “I’m so, so sorry," He took my face in his hands, "When you confessed to me…I was so shocked that I didn’t know what to do. I waited so long to hear anything like that come from you that I literally did not know how to process it. I thought I was going to be the one who confessed to you, not the other way around. Not in a million years…I just knew I wanted to kiss you. I _had_ to kiss you. Since that night we kissed on James’ show and when we got back home…I needed your lips on mine.”

He kissed me again and I felt all the blood rush to my cheeks. He pulled away before I could kiss back and my eyes fluttered open.

“…Sorry,” he said, cheeks tinting the slightest. I couldn’t tell if it was from the cold or from kissing me, “couldn’t help myself.”

Oh my God he was so fucking cheeky it was killing me! My face felt hot and it actually fought against the cold I had been exposed to all day. I didn’t know what to say but I didn’t have to because he continued.

“I was going to end it before the gala but Niall asked you and you said yes, Samantha already bought her expensive dress, and I had to attend and sing with the boys…so I waited.”

It was a bit quiet when he stopped talking. There were so many questions I wanted to ask.

“So…why didn’t you tell me how you felt before you left? Why didn’t you tell me when I told you I liked you?” I asked confused.

Harry paused and explained, “Samantha was waiting in the car and I was so tired and annoyed with it all. I was upset because I knew I had to leave you alone, even though we had planned to hang out afterward. And then…then you told me you had feelings for me and…and I had to go with Sam to end it. I wasn’t thinking about your feelings and I’m sorry, (Y/N), I’m so sorry. All I knew was that, knowing I could have you for myself, I would be able to end it, regardless of management or any contract.”

I still couldn’t believe this was actually happening. My heart felt like it was going to give out, “Then what happened?”

Harry smirked, “Samantha and I had dinner. She wanted to take our ‘relationship’ to the next level. I said no. She didn’t like that and started accusing you of being the imminent downfall of my career, that I wouldn’t get anywhere with you, and that you would never understand me…I told her she was wrong.”

I looked into his emerald eyes, “ _You_ are the reason why I’ve been able to write music. Every song I write, I think about you.”

My eyes widened, “…Happily?”

He smiled wide and nodded, “It’s about you. They’ve always been about you. You stand by me through the chaos that comes with fame. You loved me almost all of my life and I can’t thank you enough for everything you do for me…”

Tears filled my eyes and I shook my head, “I should be thanking you! I can’t…I can’t believe this is happening.”

Harry took my hands, “You beat me to it. I was going to tell you in a picture perfect scenario and make it memorable.”

I took his scarf in my hands and pulled him down to my level, capturing his lips in mine. All my worries and fears disappeared with the winter wind as he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer, and kissing me back, giving me goosebumps and butterflies at the same time. It was a chaste kiss, not tongue, no insane passion, just love. It was beautiful and even better than my imagination could have come up with.

We parted and I looked at him, his skin glowing with the colors of all the different lights on the giant Christmas tree behind him. His curls peaked out of his beanie and the wisps captured the bright lights reflecting off the tree. His eyes sparkled and his smile was hesitant.

“So, (Y/N)...will you finally be my girlfriend?”

“Yes!” I exclaimed barely after he finished the question, “God, _yes!_ ” I agreed, hugging him around his neck. He laughed and hugged me back, lifting me off the ground and holding me to him. He set me down and continued to hug me, grip tight as could be, and we stood there, feeling each other’s warmth and love.

As boyfriend, and girlfriend.


	19. Chapter 19

Harry's lips moved against mine in the cold winter air, and I could feel the heat radiate off his face as he circled his arms around me and made me feel like my heart was going to burst from my chest. I heard Louis' voice from my right, "Oh, good, Hazza found her- uh! _Oh!_ "   
  
A roar of laughter, cheers, and clapping erupted and I could feel Harry's lips curl into a smile against mine and I couldn't help the laugh that escaped from mine. We pulled away from each other and I turned to see Perrie and Louis hugging each other in excitement, Zayn on Perrie's other side laughing at his fiancé's reaction, Liam with his arm around Sophia, and Niall with Eleanor, hooping and hollering while she smiled pleasantly.   
  
I turned back to Harry and kissed his cheek, making him look at me and he bent down to kiss me again. After a second of kissing, Liam interrupted and said we should get going because we were causing a scene and a crowd was beginning to form. There were two big cars to take us where we needed to go. Harry led me to the first one and followed in after me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and the entire time my face felt like it was sunburnt from blushing so much. I felt adrenaline pump into me as I pecked his lips. I couldn't get enough of them.  
  
Louis climbed into the back with Eleanor and said, "It's about fucking time," making Harry and I laugh lightly, "You should have heard this one on the phone. Wakes me up at the ass crack of dawn practically hyperventilating, _'Louis, Oh God, I really fucking did it this time. She's gone, she left, I don't know where she is, I think she went to the airport,’_ " and he continued making crying baby sounds. I laughed and Harry blushed, pulling me into him, "You did have me worried."  
  
"I'm sorry," I said, leaning my head against his shoulder and taking his large hand into mine and playing with his fingers. I could feel him smile against my hair and I smiled, unable to contain my happiness. 

 

“So are you two official now?” chirped Eleanor from the back seat. Before I could answer, Harry kissed my temple and said, “Yeah, we are.”

 

The couple cheered from the back and Louis said, “Finally! What’d I tell you, Haz, I told you it would work out!”

 

My eyebrows furrowed and I turned my head back to Louis, “What do you mean, ‘you told him?’ When did you tell him?” Harry turned his head as well and Louis’ smile turned into a shit-eating grin.

 

“You knew…” I said, dumbfounded, “You knew about Harry’s feelings for me and you didn’t say anything!?”

 

Harry’s eyes widened comically and he said, “You little shit! How long did you know she liked me!?”

 

Louis shrugged, “You two needed to work it out on your own. It’s not my fault you’re dumb as shit for not seeing the blatantly obvious attraction you had towards each other.” Harry turned and tried to smack him while I sat there gob smacked at the revelation.

 

“I’m never telling you anything ever again,” I said, turning around in a huff.

 

“Same,” Harry said, doing the same.

 

“Aww, they’re so cute, they’re already mimicking each other,” cooed Eleanor, making Louis laugh. I blushed but cuddled into Harry because I could now.

 

After a half hour of driving and traffic, they dropped Harry and I off at his flat. Louis yelled out the window for us not to be too cheeky with each other and Harry flipped him off, making me laugh.

 

We stepped into the old barn-like building and began to climb the stairs with my luggage. Harry took the heavier of the two before I could grab it and I smiled appreciatively. I noticed the old step had caved in with old broken splinters sticking out. I wondered how it finally broke and I was going to ask but Harry slid his arm through the space between my arm and my waist as he unlocked the door and pushed it open.

 

I walked in and set down my things. I kept my down coat because I was still freezing from being out in the cold December air all day. Harry set down my other bag and slid his coat off. He grabbed a blanket from the couch and said, “Let’s get you warmed up, yeah?” I nodded, gratefully, and stared at his chest while he rubbed up and down my arms.

 

While he warmed my arms, I leaned forward and rested my head against his chest which made him chuckle. “I’m sorry,” I said, quietly. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into him and squeezed me close, “You had me really worried.” I gripped his sweater in my hands at his sides and asked, “Is that why the step finally gave way?” I smiled as he said, “I was in a hurry.”

 

I finally looked up at him and saw soft green eyes looking into mine. They lingered and would shift between my eyes to my lips for a small glance. I smiled and tilted my head, giving him permission. He bent his head and cradled my head with his arm as his lips met mine once more. I breathed out in a sigh through my nose as he firmly but chastely kissed my lips. It still didn’t seem real to me; that Harry was mine and that I was his. Harry slowly began to move his lips against mine and I followed, like waves on a beach. I pulled back and he followed with his lips until I stopped them with the tips of my fingers.

 

“I want to change and have some tea.” I said, smiling with a blush, “When I come out, can we cuddle on the couch and watch a movie?”

 

Harry smiled against my fingertips and nodded, “That sounds like a great idea. I’ll get changed too,” He moved his head and kissed my cheek, “Go get dressed. I’ll put the kettle on.”

 

I couldn’t help the smile that spread on my face as I walked back to my room with my luggage and got out my leggings. I slipped them on and then made my way to Harry’s room to find a comfy jumper of his to wear. I went in his closet and all I could find were Burberry and old t-shirts that wouldn’t keep me warm. I moved some hangers and finally found some crewnecks and sweaters. “Yes,” I whispered as I reached up to grab one when a warm hand encased mine.

 

“What do you think you’re doing?” asked Harry as he got closer and I could feel his warmth on my back.

 

I turned my head slightly and said, “Getting something comfy and warm to wear.”

 

I could hear the smirk in his voice, “And what’s wrong with your clothes?”

 

I turned around and put my hand on his chest, “They’re not as comfy as yours…and they smell good.”

 

Harry’s dimples came out at that statement and he reached behind me and pulled down his large crewneck, handed it to me, and said, "Here. This one is big on me so it'll be a tent on you." I took it and thanked him by kissing his cheek and went to exit his closet when he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me back. I felt his warm breath on my neck as he said, "Coming out of the closet?"  
  
I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips, despite my heart pounding at the rate of a racehorse, "Says one half of Larry!" He kissed my neck and wrapped his other arm around my waist as well. He held me close and I laughed until I called out, "Harry, let me go!”

 

He didn’t respond. He just held me close and buried his face into the side of my neck. I should have felt uncomfortable but I knew he was worried I would leave again. I turned my head, making him look at me and I kissed his nose, “Get changed and I’ll get our cups of tea and blankets. We’re snuggling and I don’t care what you have to say about it.” He smiled and said, “Okay. We should watch-“

 

“We’re watching Anastasia,” I said, without looking back and walked out of his bedroom.

 

“No! I had to sit through that movie all through our childhood! We’re watching something else!” he called as I made our teas the way we liked.

 

"And you're gonna watch it again," I retorted, "Together, with me, cause you love me," I realized what I just said about him _loving_ me and inhaled a small gasp. Harry was quiet until I heard his footsteps and I got so anxious that I almost dropped the DVD when Harry came into the room, shirtless with sweats on, making my breathing practically stop.   
  
"I've had to watch this movie too many times. I can quote the whole damn thing, for fuck's sake," he said, taking it from my hands and walking back to his room. That broke me from my trance and I followed after him, reaching for the DVD and trying to take it from him. He swiftly moved it out of my reach and his long arms moved them to places I couldn't reach.   
  
"Harry!" I exclaimed, trying to reach for the DVD when he raised it above his head, "That's not fair! Give it back!"  
  
He smiled and wrapped a muscular arm around my waist and pulled me into him and ducked his head down to peck my lips. He caught me off guard and my eyes widened as he smirked at me.  
  
"No."   
  
His whisper made my face heat in a blush. He chuckled and laughed out loud as he threw the DVD on the highest shelf in his closet. I sagged, defeated, "You butt," I said, annoyed, "If you don't want to watch it, why do you even have it?"   
  
He grabbed a loose tee and walked out of the closet, a light blush gracing his cheeks, "'Cause when I miss you, I watch it sometimes," he shrugged, "Reminds me of the good ol' days."  
  
I felt my face break out in a smile, "You do?" I asked, quietly.   
  
Harry rolled his eyes, "Yes. I also had a bit of a crush on Anastasia. Good wanking material."  
  
My mouth opened in shock and I gasped in fear and disgust, "Harry!"He cackled and walked past me laughing, “I’m kidding.” I furrowed my eyebrows, “No you’re not.”

 

He turned and gave me a cheeky smile, “You’re right. I’m not.”

 

I groaned and said loudly, “You’ve ruined my favorite childhood movie for me! I won’t be able to watch it without thinking of that!”

 

He smirked and said, “And that’s a bad thing? You _are_ my girlfriend.”

 

It still didn’t feel real to me. Granted, it hadn’t even been a full day since we became a couple but I felt happier than I had in a very long time. I smiled at him and blushed, nodding, “I am your girlfriend.”

 

He smiled back and walked over to me, taking my hands in his, “And I’m your boyfriend…It’s a bit weird, isn’t it?” I nodded, giggling, “I didn’t think it would ever happen, but I’m glad it did.”

 

“Me too,” he said, kissing my cheek, “You know it’s not going to be easy. The paparazzi, the fans, the threats, the hate. You’re going to get a lot of it.”

 

I nodded, “I don’t care,” I squeezed his hand, “I’ve dealt with it before, I can do it again. And I know there are so many fans who support you and me already and we weren’t together yet. I’ll be okay. As long as I have you in my life, I’ll be okay.” Harry pulled me into him in a tight and secure hug. My face was buried into his chest and shoulder while his arms wrapped around mine, holding me close.

 

“You’re so wonderful. I like you so much, (Y/N),” he said into the side of my head, “I’m so happy you’re finally mine.”

 

I smiled and hugged back as best as I could and said, “I couldn’t be happier, Haz.”

 

Harry pulled away and said, “So, since we’re dating, um…I don’t…I promise I won’t rush you into anything. I know you haven’t been with a lot of guys and that you’re…well, you know-“

 

“A virgin?” I said, unashamed.

 

Harry nodded, “Yeah, right, a virgin,” I noticed the light blush on his face, “And I’m more than alright waiting. Whenever you’re ready to take that step, no matter how long it is, I’ll wait for you.”

 

I was so touched by Harry’s words that I hugged him around his middle and softly kissed his lips, then hid my face in his shoulder, “Thank you, Harry. That means more than anything to me.” He hugged me back and I continued, “If you’re uncomfortable with anything too, let me know. Not just physical stuff but emotional or if I share too much about you on accident or if I-“ Harry had interrupted my rant by cupping my face with his hands and pushing my cheeks together. I stopped and looked up at him.

 

“You’re perfect, (Y/N),” he said, smiling the one I recognized from our childhood, “Simply perfect,” his voice was soft and articulate giving my head goosebumps. He took my hand and pulled me towards the couch. He sat down and opened his arms to which I gladly relaxed into. We cuddled together and decided to watch Modern Family while we held each other.

 

After a couple of episodes, it got late and it was time for bed. We both got up and walked down the hall. I was about to turn into my room when I felt Harry’s hands on my hips, guiding me forward to his room. “Harry,” I said, not reprimanding but more in a questioning tone.

 

“I want to keep cuddling,” he said, pushing me forward gently, but with strength.

 

“But, I’m your girlfriend now,” I said, trying to fight a yawn.

 

“And? Why should this time be any different?” he asked, voice low in tiredness.

 

I was so tired, and cuddling Harry in his big soft bed sounded so very good…but something said to me that I should sleep in my bed. Before I could respond, Harry wrapped his arms around my ribs and lifted me up, walking to his room. Looks like he was making this easy for me. We were already in our pajamas and brushed our teeth during a commercial break, in case we fell asleep on the couch, so Harry fell over onto the bed with me in tow. I squeaked a bit, tightening my grip around his neck and made an ‘oof!’ noise as we landed. I giggled and sighed, tiredly. Harry wasn’t moving so I said softly, “Harry…the lights…”

 

He sluggishly got up and flipped off the light. I got under the covers and cuddled into the pillow. I felt Harry’s body move over mine and his weight squished me under him. I felt my breath on my neck come out in little breaths, even and soft. I wrapped my arms around his back and smiled, unbelievably happy.

 

“I’m so happy you’re here with me…”

 

Scratch that. Now I was unbelievably happy.

 

I kissed the top of his head and whispered, “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

* * *

 

I woke the next morning needing to pee. The white December sky lit up the room and I felt a weight on my stomach. It was Harry’s arm, draped over me and I turned my head to the side to see his peaceful sleeping face. The crease between his eyebrows that he usually had when he was awake was smoothed out and little breaths escaped from his nose. I stared for a while until I couldn’t hold my bladder anymore. I moved, gently, trying not to wake him until his arm pulled me back and his voice vibrated.

 

“No…too early…stay…”

 

I smiled and ducked down, whispering, “I have to go to the bathroom.” I kissed his temple, “I’ll be right back.”

 

With his eyes still closed, he gave out a tired sigh and released me. I got up and hurried to the bathroom. After finishing, and brushing my teeth, I walked out and quickly went back to bed, seeking the warmth under the covers. I crawled back onto the mattress and snuggled back into Harry, who still had his eyes closed, but held up an arm to let me into his side. I snuggled into his pillow and fell back asleep.

 

The next time I woke, I opened my eyes and found green staring back into mine. I furrowed my eyebrows which made him chuckle lowly.

 

“Morning,” he grogged, in his deep, raspy voice.

 

“Morning,” I responded, “I’m surprised you’re up earlier than me for once.”

 

“I get up before you more than you think,” he smirked.

 

“Really?” I asked, not believing him.

 

“How else was I supposed to watch you without you getting annoyed or embarrassed,” he smiled, “And how was I supposed to kiss you?”

 

My eyes widened, “You kissed me in my sleep?”

 

Harry bit his lip, “The kiss on James’ show wasn’t our first.”

 

My mouth opened in shock. I was about to ask when exactly this kiss happened but was stopped before I could because his soft and warm lips were on mine. I breathed in and sighed out through my nose as I hummed lightly against Harry’s lips. He pulled away and my lips felt a little wet.

 

“You brushed your teeth, didn’t you?” he smirked. I gave him an unimpressed look.

 

“I wish you would.”

 

“Rude.”

 

I giggled as he lay back down and asked, “Can we just lay here all day?”

 

“I wish. We have to pack. We’re leaving for Holmes Chapel tomorrow to spend Christmas with the family,” he sighed.

 

“Are you going to pack the presents?” I asked, giving him a smile with a sparkle in my eye.

 

“Gem’s bringing them to mum’s. I dropped them off at her place, remember?”

 

I pouted and sighed, “You butt.”

 

Harry laughed and pulled me close to him, “You like me a little,” he cooed.

 

“No, absolutely not. You smell like farts and you tell bad jokes.”

 

He gasped and took my hands in his, “My jokes are hilarious.” His warm, big hands encased mine almost entirely. I looked down and smiled, “No, they’re not,” I kissed his chin, “but I like you anyway.”

 

“I knew it,” he smiled, “Wanna go out to breakfast? I can call and make arrangements to have a pap free breakfast.”

 

“Or we could cook a pap free breakfast here,” I suggested, smiling.

 

Harry agreed, “I’m in the mood for omelets.”

 

“Omelets it is,” I said, moving to get out of bed, “come on, you.” I circled round the bed and helped Harry out of it. He groaned and got up, following me out of his bedroom until I felt his weight on my shoulders and head. He draped himself over my back, weighing me down and making me lose my upright position.

 

“Harry,” I breathed, “you’re heavy!” He just groaned in response and I tried to walk forward with all of Harry’s weight but I couldn’t and dropped to the carpet in the doorway to the living room. I started laughing and I felt Harry chuckle on top of me, “Get. Off,” I wheezed. Harry got up and lifted me back up to my feet, surprising me.

 

“You _have_ been working out,” I said. He flexed his arm and raised his eyebrows, almost making me swoon.

 

We got the ingredients out and made our omelets. Harry made tea while I put jam on the toast. He set my cup of tea on my right and kissed my left temple. He then made his way to the couch, with our plates, waiting for me and our toast. When I finally sat, we ate our food and toasted with our teacups to our new relationship, laughing the entire time.

 

* * *

 

_Hey what’s up?_

I texted my sister to tell her the news about Harry and I. I smiled, typing out the message.

 

**_Harry and I are dating._ **

 

I bit my lip, still smiling, and waited for her response. I saw the word bubble pop up and I became anxious.

_O_

_M_

_G_

_WHAT_

_REALLY!?_

_ARE YOU SERIOUS!?_

_(Y/N)_

_THIS BETTER NOT BE A JOKE._

_I SWEAR TO GOD_

I laughed loudly and typed back.

 

**_I’m not kidding! We’re dating! He asked me to be his girlfriend in front of the huge Christmas tree in the square we went to every year as kids. You remember right?_ **

_Oh yeah! OMG that is so romantic!!! (Y/N) I’m so happy for you! It finally happened!_

I smiled and blushed. I remembered those nights when my sister and I would have pillow talks about boys we liked and every time I would bring up Harry. She always said the same thing, “Just tell him how you feel. It’s Harry. If he doesn’t like you back at least he’ll be nice about it and you both will move on.”

 

**_Yeah I’m really happy. He’s so sweet and just amazing. Unbelievably amazing. He and I had a little talk last night and he said he’s willing to wait as long as it takes for me to feel comfortable about being intimate with him, if I even want to be intimate with him. As if I wouldn’t. I really lucked out._ **

_Awww I wouldn’t expect anything less of him. I’m glad you two are together because I know he’ll take care of you and treat you with respect. And I won’t have to do the whole assess the boyfriend thing cause it’s Harry. He’s huge though, (Y/N) so if you do take it to the next level, make sure you practice._

I blushed and typed, _I don’t want to hear this from my baby sister. You are an angel who is pure and will stay that way until you are married._

_(Y/N)_

**_YOU ARE AN ANGEL. SWEAR TO ME._ **

_Lol okay okay I promise haha_

**_Good. I miss you!_** I told her to give my love to the rest of our family and that I’d skype them tomorrow when I was with Harry in Holmes Chapel. My parents didn’t know we were in London and thought we were there the whole time. My father would never allow Harry and I to stay alone together, especially now that we were a couple. The thought still made me smile and I don’t think it ever wont.

I heard yelling and Louis came bursting through the hallway with nerf gun darts hot on his trail. Niall came running out after who leaped over me to get behind the couch. Harry came into the entrance of the hallway with huge nerf gun built for rapid fire. Louis hid behind the love seat while Niall set up to shoot Harry behind me. Suddenly, I felt Niall wrap an arm around my neck, gently, and pointed his nerf gun at my head.

 

“Back off Haz, or she gets it,” he threatened.

 

“Don’t do it, Harry. I’m not worth it,” I said, monotonously, tired but playing along. I blushed a little from Harry’s intense gaze and Niall’s close proximity and I saw Harry’s eyes darken a bit. He threw away his gun and of course as soon as he did, Louis and Niall began to shoot at him. He ran over to me and grabbed me, pinning me to the couch, and shielding me from the darts. I yelped and laughed as they shot at us.

 

Our yells and the noise of the toy guns filled the flat as they shot at us but I couldn’t get my mind off of the feeling of Harry’s long and firm body on top of mine. If we stay together long enough, I’d be feeling this naked. Oh fuck yes please.

 

The two eventually ran out of guns and I laughed, “How are they supposed to help us pack?”

 

Harry lifted his head and looked down at me, “The sooner we’re packed, the sooner we can leave for home and ditch these two.”

 

“Well, that’s fucking rude,” said Louis, obviously joking. Harry smirked down at me and leaned in, connecting our lips in a soft, warm kiss that made Niall and Louis coo at. Harry flipped them off and I laughed as my eyes slipped shut and we lazily kissed, forgetting our guests and our packing for a good fifteen minutes. 

* * *

 

We were finally on our way to Holmes Chapel in Cheshire and it was such a surreal experience seeing all the places I went as a child change over the years. Harry smiled, holding my hand in his and asked, “You okay?”

 

“Yeah,” I said, holding his hand in my lap, “it’s just really weird. I…hey, where did the ice cream shack go?”

 

“Oh, yeah, they tore it down. There’s a bigger one near the shopping mall now,” said Harry.

 

“What? No! We used to eat there all the time in the summer,” I said, sad that a place where some of my childhood memories were made was gone.

 

Harry squeezed my hand and said, “The park is still here. We can go later if you want?”

 

I smiled and said, “Yeah, I’d like to go. That’d be fun.”

 

Harry lifted my hand and softly kissed it saying, “I’m really happy you’re here with me, (Y/N).”

 

I smiled and said, “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

 

We sang and jammed to Christmas songs the rest of the way and soon enough, we were pulling up to the house Harry grew up in. I practically grew up here too and it  felt even stranger seeing it now because it looked the same with a few changes here and there but it felt like home and any homesickness I had vanished, seeing the house I played in all the time.

 

Harry parked the car and looked at me, “Ready?”

 

“Yep,” I said, “So we’re not telling them about our relationship until Christmas day?”

 

“That’s the plan. I want to surprise them. That’s okay, right?”

 

I nodded, “Definitely. I think it’ll be more fun that way.”

 

He smiled and kissed my cheek, opening his door. I said, “You’re going to have to control yourself if you want to keep this a secret.”

 

“No promises,” he said, closing the door. I opened mine and met him behind the car near the trunk, “Same goes for you, by the way.”

 

I looked at him with a smile and he pecked my lips one last time, safely hidden by the trunk’s ajar door, when we heard Anne at the door.

 

“Get in here, you two! We’ve got dinner all ready for you!”

 

We looked up and smiled grabbing our things and meeting Anne at the door, giving hugs and kisses.

 

“How are you feeling, love?” she asked me, feeling my face.

 

“Much better, thanks to you and your miracle broth,” I smiled, “It’s so good to see you again.” We hugged and I felt like I was nine again, being hugged by the woman who acted as my second mother. She kissed and hugged Harry and ushered us inside where Gemma and Robin were waiting to greet us. After we all sat at the table and had a big warm and delicious meal, reminiscing and talking about what we were up to.

 

With our glasses of wine, we moved into the living room and talked some more. Most of our conversations consisted of laughter and memories. I almost held Harry’s hand but reminded myself that Harry wanted it to be a Christmas surprise.

 

Because we arrived in the evening, it soon became late and Anne and Robin excused themselves to go to bed. Gemma, Harry, and I stayed up and watched a movie. I had my own blanket while Harry and Gemma shared theirs. I wished I could cuddle with Harry the entire movie. When I looked at him, I caught him looking at me and he smiled. He moved the blanket so it covered mine too and I felt his big warm hand search for mine underneath the blankets. I smiled and took his hand, and we finished the movie, holding hands secretly.

 

Once the movie ended, Gemma stood up and stretched, saying goodnight and going to bed. I followed and so did Harry as we all went to our own rooms. My bag had been put in the guest room so before I could make it, I felt Harry’s hand on my elbow.

 

“You’re coming to my room once you’re changed?” he asked, hopefully.

 

I smiled, “Yeah, just give me five.”

 

He smiled and slid his hand off my arm as I made my way to the guest room and he walked into his room. I grabbed my pajamas from my bag and noticed something extra was stuffed in there. I pulled it out and it was one of Harry’s long sleeved shirts, the one I thought was really comfortable. I smiled and unhooked my bra, throwing on his shirt and buttoning it up. I slipped on some shorts and after it sounded quiet and once everyone was in their rooms, I snuck out my door into the hallway and crept into Harry’s room.

 

He was right by the door and I gasped, as he pulled me into a hug, “Harry! Oh my God, you scared the shit out of me,” I whispered, looking at the wall over his shoulder as his strong arms pulled me into his chest.

 

He chuckled and said, “Sorry. I’m glad you found my shirt.”

 

I blushed and mumbled, “You were the one who put it in my bag.”  


He pulled back and looked down at me, “I’m glad I did. You look hot.”

 

I blushed even harder, and looked down, “Thanks…you too, with your,” I gestured to his torso, “rippling pectorals.”

 

That made him laugh and I shushed him, covering his mouth. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close to his chest. When I pulled my hand away, he ducked down and captured his lips with mine. I hummed and fluttered my eyes closed as he moved his lips against mine.

 

We kissed in the middle of his childhood bedroom. The place we took naps as children, where we pretended to be royalty and superheroes, where we revealed our first crushes in school, and where we said goodbye to each other, all those years ago.

 

I pulled away and asked, “Harry…do you still have the list?”

 

“The one we made as kids before you left?”

 

I nodded and he smiled, going to his wallet and pulling out an old crumpled sheet of paper. He opened it and handed it to me. I covered my mouth as I read the words we wrote all those years ago. I looked back up at him and he held out his arms to me as I hugged him, “This is amazing. I can’t believe you kept this.”

 

“I know you kept yours,” he said into my hair, “I saw it framed behind you in your room when we skyped.”

 

I blushed, “It’s one of my most memorable possessions. Besides who knows if I’ll need the money I could get by selling it someday.”

 

“Don’t you dare,” said Harry, squeezing me.

 

I snuggled into his chest and said, “Don’t worry. I won’t. You mean more to me than anything, Haz.”

 

I felt him smile against my head and he whispered, “I feel the same. C’mon, let’s go to bed.”

 

He guided me to his bed and we both tiredly plopped down onto it. We both sighed and I rolled over onto his chest and said, “Remember when you peed the bed when I slept over-“

 

“Enough out of you,” he grumbled, holding me close to him, “I was four.”

 

“We both had to shower at 3am,” I said.

 

“You know what, let’s talk about the time you farted in front of your whole class.”

 

I laughed into Harry’s pillow, “I’ve learned to laugh at that. That was really funny.”

 

He started chuckling too, “I’m sorry.”

 

I kissed his cheek, “It’s fine. I don’t care.”

 

I felt his large hand slide under his shirt, up my back, and he pulled me in, snuggling close, “Is this okay?”

 

I blushed, nodding, “Mhmm.”

 

He shuffled a bit and set his alarm so I could sneak back into the guest room in the morning. He settled into the bed and said, “Good night, (Y/N).

 

“Good night, Haz,” I said. Moon rays peeked through Harry’s curtains and I smiled, realizing how incredibly lucky I was to be in the arms of the man I love, safe and warm, as I fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being so late with this guys. I'm finishing up school for this year and it's been very hectic and crazy. Thank you all for being so patient!
> 
> P.S. I've never been to Holmes Chapel so it's probably not accurate. I apologize.
> 
> Come check out my tumblr spring1924 is my username.


	20. Chapter 20

Harry's lips moved against mine in the cold winter air, and I could feel the heat radiate off his face as he circled his arms around me and made me feel like my heart was going to burst from my chest. I heard Louis' voice from my right, "Oh, good, Hazza found her- uh! _Oh!_ "    
A roar of laughter, cheers, and clapping erupted and I could feel Harry's lips curl into a smile against mine and I couldn't help the laugh that escaped from mine. We pulled away from each other and I turned to see Perrie and Louis hugging each other in excitement, Zayn on Perrie's other side laughing at his fiancé's reaction, Liam with his arm around Sophia, and Niall with Eleanor, hooping and hollering while she smiled pleasantly.   
  
I turned back to Harry and kissed his cheek, making him look at me and he bent down to kiss me again. After a second of kissing, Liam interrupted and said we should get going because we were causing a scene and a crowd was beginning to form. There were two big cars to take us where we needed to go. Harry led me to the first one and followed in after me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and the entire time my face felt like it was sunburnt from blushing so much. I felt adrenaline pump into me as I pecked his lips. I couldn't get enough of them.  
  
Louis climbed into the back with Eleanor and said, "It's about fucking time," making Harry and I laugh lightly, "You should have heard this one on the phone. Wakes me up at the ass crack of dawn practically hyperventilating, _'Louis, Oh God, I really fucking did it this time. She's gone, she left, I don't know where she is, I think she went to the airport,’_ " and he continued making crying baby sounds. I laughed and Harry blushed, pulling me into him, "You did have me worried."  
  
"I'm sorry," I said, leaning my head against his shoulder and taking his large hand into mine and playing with his fingers. I could feel him smile against my hair and I smiled, unable to contain my happiness. 

“So are you two official now?” chirped Eleanor from the back seat. Before I could answer, Harry kissed my temple and said, “Yeah, we are.”

The couple cheered from the back and Louis said, “Finally! What’d I tell you, Haz, I told you it would work out!”

My eyebrows furrowed and I turned my head back to Louis, “What do you mean, ‘you told him?’ When did you tell him?” Harry turned his head as well and Louis’ smile turned into a shit-eating grin.

“You knew…” I said, dumbfounded, “You knew about Harry’s feelings for me and you didn’t say anything!?”

Harry’s eyes widened comically and he said, “You little shit! How long did you know she liked me!?”

Louis shrugged, “You two needed to work it out on your own. It’s not my fault you’re dumb as shit for not seeing the blatantly obvious attraction you had towards each other.” Harry turned and tried to smack him while I sat there gob smacked at the revelation.

“I’m never telling you anything ever again,” I said, turning around in a huff.

“Same,” Harry said, doing the same.

“Aww, they’re so cute, they’re already mimicking each other,” cooed Eleanor, making Louis laugh. I blushed but cuddled into Harry because I could now.

After a half hour of driving and traffic, they dropped Harry and I off at his flat. Louis yelled out the window for us not to be too cheeky with each other and Harry flipped him off, making me laugh.

We stepped into the old barn-like building and began to climb the stairs with my luggage. Harry took the heavier of the two before I could grab it and I smiled appreciatively. I noticed the old step had caved in with old broken splinters sticking out. I wondered how it finally broke and I was going to ask but Harry slid his arm through the space between my arm and my waist as he unlocked the door and pushed it open.

I walked in and set down my things. I kept my down coat because I was still freezing from being out in the cold December air all day. Harry set down my other bag and slid his coat off. He grabbed a blanket from the couch and said, “Let’s get you warmed up, yeah?” I nodded, gratefully, and stared at his chest while he rubbed up and down my arms.

While he warmed my arms, I leaned forward and rested my head against his chest which made him chuckle. “I’m sorry,” I said, quietly. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into him and squeezed me close, “You had me really worried.” I gripped his sweater in my hands at his sides and asked, “Is that why the step finally gave way?” I smiled as he said, “I was in a hurry.”

I finally looked up at him and saw soft green eyes looking into mine. They lingered and would shift between my eyes to my lips for a small glance. I smiled and tilted my head, giving him permission. He bent his head and cradled my head with his arm as his lips met mine once more. I breathed out in a sigh through my nose as he firmly but chastely kissed my lips. It still didn’t seem real to me; that Harry was mine and that I was his. Harry slowly began to move his lips against mine and I followed, like waves on a beach. I pulled back and he followed with his lips until I stopped them with the tips of my fingers.

“I want to change and have some tea.” I said, smiling with a blush, “When I come out, can we cuddle on the couch and watch a movie?”

Harry smiled against my fingertips and nodded, “That sounds like a great idea. I’ll get changed too,” He moved his head and kissed my cheek, “Go get dressed. I’ll put the kettle on.”

I couldn’t help the smile that spread on my face as I walked back to my room with my luggage and got out my leggings. I slipped them on and then made my way to Harry’s room to find a comfy jumper of his to wear. I went in his closet and all I could find were Burberry and old t-shirts that wouldn’t keep me warm. I moved some hangers and finally found some crewnecks and sweaters. “Yes,” I whispered as I reached up to grab one when a warm hand encased mine.

“What do you think you’re doing?” asked Harry as he got closer and I could feel his warmth on my back.

I turned my head slightly and said, “Getting something comfy and warm to wear.”

I could hear the smirk in his voice, “And what’s wrong with your clothes?”

I turned around and put my hand on his chest, “They’re not as comfy as yours…and they smell good.”

Harry’s dimples came out at that statement and he reached behind me and pulled down his large crewneck, handed it to me, and said, "Here. This one is big on me so it'll be a tent on you." I took it and thanked him by kissing his cheek and went to exit his closet when he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me back. I felt his warm breath on my neck as he said, "Coming out of the closet?"  
I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips, despite my heart pounding at the rate of a racehorse, "Says one half of Larry!" He kissed my neck and wrapped his other arm around my waist as well. He held me close and I laughed until I called out, "Harry, let me go!”

He didn’t respond. He just held me close and buried his face into the side of my neck. I should have felt uncomfortable but I knew he was worried I would leave again. I turned my head, making him look at me and I kissed his nose, “Get changed and I’ll get our cups of tea and blankets. We’re snuggling and I don’t care what you have to say about it.” He smiled and said, “Okay. We should watch-“

“We’re watching Anastasia,” I said, without looking back and walked out of his bedroom.

“No! I had to sit through that movie all through our childhood! We’re watching something else!” he called as I made our teas the way we liked.

"And you're gonna watch it again," I retorted, "Together, with me, cause you love me," I realized what I just said about him _loving_ me and inhaled a small gasp. Harry was quiet until I heard his footsteps and I got so anxious that I almost dropped the DVD when Harry came into the room, shirtless with sweats on, making my breathing practically stop.   
  
"I've had to watch this movie too many times. I can quote the whole damn thing, for fuck's sake," he said, taking it from my hands and walking back to his room. That broke me from my trance and I followed after him, reaching for the DVD and trying to take it from him. He swiftly moved it out of my reach and his long arms moved them to places I couldn't reach.   
  
"Harry!" I exclaimed, trying to reach for the DVD when he raised it above his head, "That's not fair! Give it back!"  
  
He smiled and wrapped a muscular arm around my waist and pulled me into him and ducked his head down to peck my lips. He caught me off guard and my eyes widened as he smirked at me.  
  
"No."   
  
His whisper made my face heat in a blush. He chuckled and laughed out loud as he threw the DVD on the highest shelf in his closet. I sagged, defeated, "You butt," I said, annoyed, "If you don't want to watch it, why do you even have it?"   
  
He grabbed a loose tee and walked out of the closet, a light blush gracing his cheeks, "'Cause when I miss you, I watch it sometimes," he shrugged, "Reminds me of the good ol' days."  
  
I felt my face break out in a smile, "You do?" I asked, quietly.   
  
Harry rolled his eyes, "Yes. I also had a bit of a crush on Anastasia. Good wanking material."  
  
My mouth opened in shock and I gasped in fear and disgust, "Harry!" He cackled and walked past me laughing, “I’m kidding.” I furrowed my eyebrows, “No you’re not.”

He turned and gave me a cheeky smile, “You’re right. I’m not.”

I groaned and said loudly, “You’ve ruined my favorite childhood movie for me! I won’t be able to watch it without thinking of that!”

He smirked and said, “And that’s a bad thing? You _are_ my girlfriend.”

It still didn’t feel real to me. Granted, it hadn’t even been a full day since we became a couple but I felt happier than I had in a very long time. I smiled at him and blushed, nodding, “I am your girlfriend.”

He smiled back and walked over to me, taking my hands in his, “And I’m your boyfriend…It’s a bit weird, isn’t it?” I nodded, giggling, “I didn’t think it would ever happen, but I’m glad it did.”

“Me too,” he said, kissing my cheek, “You know it’s not going to be easy. The paparazzi, the fans, the threats, the hate. You’re going to get a lot of it.”

I nodded, “I don’t care,” I squeezed his hand, “I’ve dealt with it before, I can do it again. And I know there are so many fans who support you and me already and we weren’t together yet. I’ll be okay. As long as I have you in my life, I’ll be okay.” Harry pulled me into him in a tight and secure hug. My face was buried into his chest and shoulder while his arms wrapped around mine, holding me close.

“You’re so wonderful. I like you so much, (Y/N),” he said into the side of my head, “I’m so happy you’re finally mine.”

I smiled and hugged back as best as I could and said, “I couldn’t be happier, Haz.”

Harry pulled away and said, “So, since we’re dating, um…I don’t…I promise I won’t rush you into anything. I know you haven’t been with a lot of guys and that you’re…well, you know-“

“A virgin?” I said, unashamed.

Harry nodded, “Yeah, right, a virgin,” I noticed the light blush on his face, “And I’m more than alright waiting. Whenever you’re ready to take that step, no matter how long it is, I’ll wait for you.”

I was so touched by Harry’s words that I hugged him around his middle and softly kissed his lips, then hid my face in his shoulder, “Thank you, Harry. That means more than anything to me.” He hugged me back and I continued, “If you’re uncomfortable with anything too, let me know. Not just physical stuff but emotional or if I share too much about you on accident or if I-“ Harry had interrupted my rant by cupping my face with his hands and pushing my cheeks together. I stopped and looked up at him.

“You’re perfect, (Y/N),” he said, smiling the one I recognized from our childhood, “Simply perfect,” his voice was soft and articulate giving my head goosebumps. He took my hand and pulled me towards the couch. He sat down and opened his arms to which I gladly relaxed into. We cuddled together and decided to watch Modern Family while we held each other.

After a couple of episodes, it got late and it was time for bed. We both got up and walked down the hall. I was about to turn into my room when I felt Harry’s hands on my hips, guiding me forward to his room. “Harry,” I said, not reprimanding but more in a questioning tone.

“I want to keep cuddling,” he said, pushing me forward gently, but with strength behind his hands.

“But, I’m your girlfriend now,” I said, trying to fight a yawn.

“And? Why should this time be any different?” he asked, voice low in tiredness.

I was so tired, and cuddling Harry in his big soft bed sounded so very good…but something said to me that I should sleep in my bed. Before I could respond, Harry wrapped his arms around my ribs and lifted me up, walking to his room. Looks like he was making this easy for me. We were already in our pajamas and brushed our teeth during a commercial break, in case we fell asleep on the couch, so Harry fell over onto the bed with me in tow. I squeaked a bit, tightening my grip around his neck and made an ‘oof!’ noise as we landed. I giggled and sighed, tiredly. Harry wasn’t moving so I said softly, “Harry…the lights…”

He sluggishly got up and flipped off the light. I got under the covers and cuddled into the pillow. I felt Harry’s body move over mine and his weight squished me under him. I felt his breath on my neck come out in little breaths, even and soft. I wrapped my arms around his back and smiled, unbelievably happy.

“I’m so happy you’re here with me…”

Scratch that. Now I was unbelievably happy.

I kissed the top of his head and whispered, “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

* * *

I woke the next morning needing to pee. The white December sky lit up the room and I felt a weight on my stomach. It was Harry’s arm, draped over me and I turned my head to the side to see his peaceful sleeping face. The crease between his eyebrows that he usually had when he was awake was smoothed out and little breaths escaped from his nose. I stared for a while until I couldn’t hold my bladder anymore. I moved, gently, trying not to wake him until his arm pulled me back and his voice vibrated.

“No…too early…stay…”

I smiled and ducked down, whispering, “I have to go to the bathroom.” I kissed his temple, “I’ll be right back.”

With his eyes still closed, he gave out a tired sigh and released me. I got up and hurried to the bathroom. After finishing, and brushing my teeth, I walked out and quickly went back to bed, seeking the warmth under the covers. I crawled back onto the mattress and snuggled back into Harry, who still had his eyes closed, but held up an arm to let me into his side. I snuggled into his pillow and fell back asleep.

The next time I woke, I opened my eyes and found green staring back into mine. I furrowed my eyebrows which made him chuckle lowly.

“Morning,” he grogged, in his deep, raspy voice.

“Morning,” I responded, “I’m surprised you’re up earlier than me for once.”

“I get up before you more than you think,” he smirked.

“Really?” I asked, not believing him.

“How else was I supposed to watch you without you getting annoyed or embarrassed,” he smiled, “And how else was I supposed to kiss you without you knowing?”

My eyes widened, “You kissed me in my sleep?”

Harry bit his lip, “The kiss on James’ show wasn’t our first.”

My mouth opened in shock. I was about to ask when exactly this kiss happened but was stopped before I could because his soft and warm lips were on mine. I breathed in and sighed out through my nose as I hummed lightly against Harry’s lips. He pulled away and my lips felt a little wet.

“You brushed your teeth, didn’t you?” he smirked. I gave him an unimpressed look.

“I wish you would.”

“Rude.”

I giggled as he lay back down and asked, “Can we just lay here all day?”

“I wish. We have to pack. We’re leaving for Holmes Chapel tomorrow to spend Christmas with the family,” he sighed.

“Are you going to pack the presents?” I asked, giving him a smile with a sparkle in my eye.

“Gem’s bringing them to mum’s. I dropped them off at her place, remember?”

I pouted and sighed, “You butt.”

Harry laughed and pulled me close to him, “You like me a little,” he cooed.

“No, absolutely not. You smell like farts and you tell bad jokes.”

He gasped and took my hands in his, “My jokes are hilarious.” His warm, big hands encased mine almost entirely. I looked down and smiled, “No, they’re not,” I kissed his chin, “but I like you anyway.”

“I knew it,” he smiled, “Wanna go out to breakfast? I can call and make arrangements to have a pap free breakfast.”

“Or we could cook a pap free breakfast here,” I suggested, smiling.

Harry agreed, “I’m in the mood for omelets.”

“Omelets it is,” I said, moving to get out of bed, “come on, you.” I circled round the bed and helped Harry out of it. He groaned and got up, following me out of his bedroom until I felt his weight on my shoulders and head. He draped himself over my back, weighing me down and making me lose my upright position.

“Harry,” I breathed, “you’re heavy!” He just groaned in response and I tried to walk forward with all of Harry’s weight but I couldn’t and dropped to the carpet in the doorway to the living room. I started laughing and I felt Harry chuckle on top of me, “Get. Off,” I wheezed. Harry got up and lifted me back up to my feet, surprising me.

“You _have_ been working out,” I said. He flexed his arm and raised his eyebrows, almost making me swoon.

We got the ingredients out and made our omelets. Harry made tea while I put jam on the toast. He set my cup of tea on my right and kissed my left temple. He then made his way to the couch, with our plates, waiting for me and our toast. When I finally sat, we ate our food and toasted with our teacups to our new relationship, laughing the entire time.

 

* * *

_Hey what’s up?_

I texted my sister to tell her the news about Harry and I. I smiled, typing out the message.

**_Harry and I are dating._ **

I bit my lip, still smiling, and waited for her response. I saw the word bubble pop up and I became anxious.

_O_

_M_

_G_

_WHAT_

_REALLY!?_

_ARE YOU SERIOUS!?_

_(Y/N)_

_THIS BETTER NOT BE A JOKE._

_I SWEAR TO GOD_

I laughed loudly and typed back.

 

**_I’m not kidding! We’re dating! He asked me to be his girlfriend in front of the huge Christmas tree in the square we went to every year as kids. You remember right?_ **

_Oh yeah! OMG that is so romantic!!! (Y/N) I’m so happy for you! It finally happened!_

I smiled and blushed. I remembered those nights when my sister and I would have pillow talks about boys we liked and every time I would bring up Harry. She always said the same thing, “Just tell him how you feel. It’s Harry. If he doesn’t like you back at least he’ll be nice about it and you both will move on.”

**_Yeah I’m really happy. He’s so sweet and just amazing. Unbelievably amazing. He and I had a little talk last night and he said he’s willing to wait as long as it takes for me to feel comfortable about being intimate with him, if I even want to be intimate with him. As if I wouldn’t. I really lucked out._ **

_Awww I wouldn’t expect anything less of him. I’m glad you two are together because I know he’ll take care of you and treat you with respect. And I won’t have to do the whole assess the boyfriend thing cause it’s Harry. He’s huge though, (Y/N) so if you do take it to the next level, make sure you practice._

I blushed and typed, _I don’t want to hear this from my baby sister. You are an angel who is pure and will stay that way until you are married._

_(Y/N)_

**_YOU ARE AN ANGEL. SWEAR TO ME._ **

_Lol okay okay I promise haha_

**_Good. I miss you!_** I told her to give my love to the rest of our family and that I’d skype them tomorrow when I was with Harry in Holmes Chapel. My parents didn’t know we were in London and thought we were there the whole time. My father would never allow Harry and I to stay alone together, especially now that we were a couple. The thought still made me smile and I don’t think it ever wont.

I heard yelling and Louis came bursting through the hallway with nerf gun darts hot on his trail. Niall came running out after who leaped over me to get behind the couch. Harry came into the entrance of the hallway with huge nerf gun built for rapid fire. Louis hid behind the love seat while Niall set up to shoot Harry behind me. Suddenly, I felt Niall wrap an arm around my neck, gently, and pointed his nerf gun at my head.

“Back off Haz, or she gets it,” he threatened.

“Don’t do it, Harry. I’m not worth it,” I said, monotonously, tired but playing along. I blushed a little from Harry’s intense gaze and Niall’s close proximity and I saw Harry’s eyes darken a bit. He threw away his gun and of course as soon as he did, Louis and Niall began to shoot at him. He ran over to me and grabbed me, pinning me to the couch, and shielding me from the darts. I yelped and laughed as they shot at us.

Our yells and the noise of the toy guns filled the flat as they shot at us but I couldn’t get my mind off of the feeling of Harry’s long and firm body on top of mine. If we stay together long enough, I’d be feeling this naked. Oh fuck yes please.

The two eventually ran out of guns and I laughed, “How are they supposed to help us pack?”

Harry lifted his head and looked down at me, “The sooner we’re packed, the sooner we can leave for home and ditch these two.”

“Well, that’s fucking rude,” said Louis, obviously joking. Harry smirked down at me and leaned in, connecting our lips in a soft, warm kiss that made Niall and Louis coo at. Harry flipped them off and I laughed as my eyes slipped shut and we lazily kissed, forgetting our guests and our packing for a good fifteen minutes. 

* * *

We were finally on our way to Holmes Chapel in Cheshire and it was such a surreal experience seeing all the places I went as a child change over the years. Harry smiled, holding my hand in his and asked, “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I said, holding his hand in my lap, “it’s just really weird. I…hey, where did the ice cream shack go?”

“Oh, yeah, they tore it down. There’s a bigger one near the shopping mall now,” said Harry.

“What? No! We used to eat there all the time in the summer,” I said, sad that a place where some of my childhood memories were made was gone.

Harry squeezed my hand and said, “The park is still here. We can go later if you want?”

I smiled and said, “Yeah, I’d like to go. That’d be fun.”

Harry lifted my hand and softly kissed it saying, “I’m really happy you’re here with me, (Y/N).”

I smiled and said, “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

We sang and jammed to Christmas songs the rest of the way and soon enough, we were pulling up to the house Harry grew up in. I practically grew up here too and it  felt even stranger seeing it now because it looked the same with a few changes here and there but it felt like home and any homesickness I had vanished, seeing the house I played in all the time.

Harry parked the car and looked at me, “Ready?”

“Yep,” I said, “So we’re not telling them about our relationship until Christmas day?”

“That’s the plan. I want to surprise them. That’s okay, right?”

I nodded, “Definitely. I think it’ll be more fun that way.”

He smiled and kissed my cheek, opening his door. I said, “You’re going to have to control yourself if you want to keep this a secret.”

“No promises,” he said, closing the door. I opened mine and met him behind the car near the trunk, “Same goes for you, by the way.”

I looked at him with a smile and he pecked my lips one last time, safely hidden by the trunk’s ajar door, when we heard Anne at the door.

“Get in here, you two! We’ve got dinner all ready for you!”

We looked up and smiled grabbing our things and meeting Anne at the door, giving hugs and kisses.

“How are you feeling, love?” she asked me, feeling my face.

“Much better, thanks to you and your miracle broth,” I smiled, “It’s so good to see you again.” We hugged and I felt like I was nine again, being hugged by the woman who acted as my second mother. She kissed and hugged Harry and ushered us inside where Gemma and Robin were waiting to greet us. After we all sat at the table and had a big warm and delicious meal, reminiscing and talking about what we were up to.

With our glasses of wine, we moved into the living room and talked some more. Most of our conversations consisted of laughter and memories. I almost held Harry’s hand but reminded myself that Harry wanted it to be a Christmas surprise.

Because we arrived in the evening, it soon became late and Anne and Robin excused themselves to go to bed. Gemma, Harry, and I stayed up and watched a movie. I had my own blanket while Harry and Gemma shared theirs. I wished I could cuddle with Harry the entire movie. When I looked at him, I caught him looking at me and he smiled. He moved the blanket so it covered mine too and I felt his big warm hand search for mine underneath the blankets. I smiled and took his hand, and we finished the movie, holding hands secretly.

Once the movie ended, Gemma stood up and stretched, saying goodnight and going to bed. I followed and so did Harry as we all went to our own rooms. My bag had been put in the guest room so before I could make it, I felt Harry’s hand on my elbow.

“You’re coming to my room once you’re changed?” he asked, hopefully.

I smiled, “Yeah, just give me five.”

He smiled and slid his hand off my arm as I made my way to the guest room and he walked into his room. I grabbed my pajamas from my bag and noticed something extra was stuffed in there. I pulled it out and it was one of Harry’s long sleeved shirts, the one I thought was really comfortable. I smiled and unhooked my bra, throwing on his shirt and buttoning it up. I slipped on some shorts and after it sounded quiet and once everyone was in their rooms, I snuck out my door into the hallway and crept into Harry’s room.

He was right by the door and I gasped, as he pulled me into a hug, “Harry! Oh my God, you scared the shit out of me,” I whispered, looking at the wall over his shoulder as his strong arms pulled me into his chest.

He chuckled and said, “Sorry. I’m glad you found my shirt.”

I blushed and mumbled, “You were the one who put it in my bag.”  


He pulled back and looked down at me, “I’m glad I did. You look fit.”

I blushed even harder, and looked down, “Thanks…you too, with your,” I gestured to his torso, “rippling pectorals.”

That made him laugh and I shushed him, covering his mouth. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close to his chest. When I pulled my hand away, he ducked down and captured his lips with mine. I hummed and fluttered my eyes closed as he moved his lips against mine.

We kissed in the middle of his childhood bedroom. The place we took naps as children, where we pretended to be royalty and superheroes, where we revealed our first crushes in school, and where we said goodbye to each other, all those years ago.

I pulled away and asked, “Harry…do you still have the list?”

“The one we made as kids before you left?”

I nodded and he smiled, going to his wallet and pulling out an old crumpled sheet of paper. He opened it and handed it to me. I covered my mouth as I read the words we wrote all those years ago. I looked back up at him and he held out his arms to me as I hugged him, “This is amazing. I can’t believe you kept this.”

“I know you kept yours,” he said into my hair, “I saw it framed behind you in your room when we skyped.”

I blushed, “It’s one of my most memorable possessions. Besides who knows if I’ll need the money I could get by selling it someday.”

“Don’t you dare,” said Harry, squeezing me.

I snuggled into his chest and said, “Don’t worry. I won’t. You mean more to me than anything, Haz.”

I felt him smile against my head and he whispered, “I feel the same. C’mon, let’s go to bed.”

He guided me to his bed and we both tiredly plopped down onto it. We both sighed and I rolled over onto his chest and said, “Remember when you peed the bed when I slept over-“

“Enough out of you,” he grumbled, holding me close to him, “I was four.”

“We both had to shower at 3am,” I said.

“You know what, let’s talk about the time you farted in front of your whole class.”

I laughed into Harry’s pillow, “I’ve learned to laugh at that. That was really funny.”

He started chuckling too, “I’m sorry.”

I kissed his cheek, “It’s fine. I don’t care.”

I felt his large hand slide under his shirt, up my back, and he pulled me in, snuggling close, “Is this okay?”

I blushed, nodding, “Mhmm.”

He shuffled a bit and set his alarm so I could sneak back into the guest room in the morning. He settled into the bed and said, “Good night, (Y/N).

“Good night, Haz,” I said. Moon rays peeked through Harry’s curtains and I smiled, realizing how incredibly lucky I was to be in the arms of the man I love, safe and warm, as I fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being so late with this guys. I'm finishing up school for this year and it's been very hectic and crazy. Thank you all for being so patient!
> 
> P.S. I've never been to Holmes Chapel so it's probably not accurate. I apologize.
> 
> Come check out my tumblr spring1924 is my username.


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it's been awhile! Sorry for the late update you guys.
> 
> I know TONS of stuff has happened within the fandom. Eleanor and Perrie are no longer 1D girlfriends but I'm going to keep them in the story, especially Perrie because I love her so much. I'm happy that both of them are finding happiness. 
> 
> There will be a few more chapters after this one. Thank you for reading and for your patience!
> 
> You can find me on tumblr as spring1924. Leave me a message! Lots of love!

I woke to the sound of light snoring and sunlight in my eyes. Harry’s curtains were sheer so they didn’t do much but block people from seeing into his room. I felt…weird, like something was off. I opened my eyes and blinked to clear my vision. Once I opened them and got my bearings, I realized that, during the night, I had somehow got wrapped in the blanket and was hanging off the bed, like I was in a hammock.

It was very comfy but I knew I had to go back to the guest room soon or we’d be found out. Harry wanted to wait until Christmas day to tell his family that we were dating. I blushed and smiled to myself. Harry and I were _dating_. I still couldn’t believe it.

I tried to wiggle back up to the mattress but it was no use. I whispered to Harry to try and wake him, “Harry…Harry.” His light snore continued and I sighed. I tried a little louder, “ _Harry_.”

“Hm?” he hummed, hugging a long pillow close to him.

“I can’t get up,” I said quietly. He made an inquiring grunt noise and turned to look down at me, “What are you doing down there?”

“I don’t know but I’m comfy,” I whispered, giggling lightly.

Harry moved and pulled me back onto the mattress. I made a tiny noise from the pull and settled back into my spot on the bed. Harry looked at me and I smiled back at him.

“Hi,” he said, grinning sleepily.

“Morning,” I responded. I was so happy that Harry and I were dating that I sat up and straddled his thighs. I looked down to see his eyes wide and bright, the green in them shining.

“Well, _good morning_ ,” he said, smiling wide. I giggle and lowered my head and kissed his cheek. He asked me, “How’d you sleep?”

“Really well. Your bed’s as comfy as I remembered.” I bit my lip and hesitantly moved forward, bending my head towards his and brushed my lips against his plump warm ones. He made the tiniest noise of content, which made me smile, as my closed lips moved against his. I pulled back and saw him smiling at me. I could definitely get used to this.

“You’re beautiful,” he said, smiling softly.

I blushed and smiled the widest I think I ever had, “I just woke up. I probably look like crap.”

Harry shook his head, “Hell no. You look…amazing. My shirt looks _really_ fucking good on you,” he said, sliding his long fingers up my thighs. I got goosebumps and I had to suppress a shiver. “So, since we’re dating and all, you agree that honesty is key, right?”

“Well, yeah, when have we ever not been honest with each other?” I asked, squinting my eyes, being playful, “Why? Have you been lying to me? Do you _not_ want to be my boyfriend?”

“No,” said Harry, quickly, sitting up. His hands gripped me around my back, “God, no.”

I laughed and asked, “Then what is it?” smiling bashfully.

Harry seemed to pause and bit his lip before saying, “I’ve got morning wood and you being in my lap is not helping my situation in the slightest.”

My eyes widened in shock and I gasped, feeling his hard on underneath me. I moved to get off of him and once I did, he was chuckling and I couldn’t help but giggle. I was blushing like crazy and laughed, “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.” He shook his head and replied, “It’s fine, it’s fine, I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

We looked at each other and I noticed that both of us were gravitating towards each other. My eyelids fluttered as our lips connected again. I cupped Harry’s face in my hands as his slid back around my waist, pulling me in with ease. “I like you,” I whispered, “I really like you, Haz.”

He smiled, true happiness gracing his face, “I really like you too. I have for so long, it’s hard to believe I get to kiss you whenever I want now.”

“Please do,” I responded, kissing him again.

While Harry’s lips pressed against my own and that's we when we heard his mother’s voice outside in the hallway, “If she’s in his room, I’m going to murder him.” We both gasped and looked at each other in shock. Harry’s mom was coming to his room!

“In the closet! Get in the closet! Go!” he said in a quickly in a hushed voice. His big hands helped me up out of his bed as I practically fell over crawling to his closet. I opened the door and saw it was a crowded mess of a boy who hadn’t been here since he was sixteen or seventeen. I shoved a tall pile of clothes over and tried to push the door closed. From the movement of the door, a shelf full of clothes collapsed and fell on me. I gasped and made a noise but quickly hushed myself as Anne entered Harry’s room. The door was opened a crack and I could hear everything. I saw Harry looking up at his mom through the crack.

“Where is she?” she asked Harry.

Harry sighed, “Who, mum? (Y/N) or Gem?”

Anne sounded annoyed when she said, “(Y/N) and don’t play dumb with me, Harry, she’s not in the guest room. I just checked to ask if she wanted breakfast and she wasn’t there.”

I winced and before Harry could answer, as if on cue, his alarm on his phone rang. Harry’s mom was up earlier than we thought she’d be.  Harry shut off his alarm and mumbled, “Need to shut that off for good…” he turned to his mom and said, “I just woke up. I haven’t seen her since last night before we all went to bed.”

Anne didn’t seem convinced. Harry had the covers over his lap so at least he was safe there. I was covered head to toe in old clothes and junk in Harry’s closet. I had comfort knowing that if Anne opened the closet door, she wouldn’t be able to see me.

“Did you check the bathroom?” he asked, yawning.

“Yes, I did,” she said, “Look, Harry, I’m happy you and (Y/N) are here together again after all these years, and I support your feelings for her, I do, but I will not accept you doing inappropriate things under my roof. Do you understand?” I covered my mouth in shock. How long has she known Harry liked me?

Harry blushed and cradled his face in his hands, “Oh my God, mum, we’re not even together!” He lied. “I haven’t seen her. Maybe she went for a walk or something? I doubt she’d go anywhere without me, though. I’ll get dressed and come down in a sec.” Anne seemed convinced and said, “Alright. Don’t give up, Harry. She’ll see you like her soon enough. Or, you know, you could tell her how you feel and make it easier for you.”

Harry sighed and said, “Okay, mum, thanks. See you downstairs.”

Anne finally left the room and I went to move but I was stuck under all of Harry’s junk. “Harry,” I said quietly. He came over to the closet and opened it, surprised to see me on the floor, trapped under all his stuff. He began to laugh, covering his mouth to keep voice down. “Harry, help me!” I whispered.  He helped get some stuff off of me and wrapped his arms around my ribs and lifted me up on my feet, “Thanks. Harry, you are a slob.”

“No, I’m not, mum just put my things in the closet. You okay?” I nodded, “Yeah, I’m fine, but I gotta go before your mom comes back,” I said, moving toward the door.

“Whoa, wait, wait,” I felt Harry’s hands around me, pull me back, and I turned to ask what he needed when his lips silenced mine. I kissed back but still felt new to this whole thing. I felt inadequate compared to Harry’s skills in kissing but I returned his kiss and made a little noise as I cupped his face, keeping him close. After a bit, I pulled away and whispered, “I gotta go.” Harry didn’t let up and I said, a little frantic, “I gotta go. I gotta go! Get dressed and I’ll see you downstairs. Harry, please.”

He groaned and finally let go of me. He pecked my lips one more time and said, “Fine. But what are you going to tell my mum?”

I shrugged, “I’ll think of something.” Harry didn’t look convinced but let me go. I smiled and exited his room, hurrying to the guest room where my suitcase was. I couldn’t stop smiling the entire time. My cheeks felt hot and I knew I must have been red. I found my black jersey crewneck with a huge white 56 on it and slid on my dark skinny jeans. I threw my hair up in a loose bun and stretched my limbs.

I made my way out of the room and down the stairs, seeing Anne and Gemma in the kitchen. I smiled and said, “Morning Mrs. Twist, morning Gem!” They both smiled brightly at me and said good morning. “(Y/N) where were you this morning? I was looking all over for you when you weren’t in your room.”

I acted confused, “Really? I was in the bathroom freshening up a bit.” Anne turned and said, “I looked in the bathroom and you weren’t there. I must have missed you.” I got a little nervous and tried to play it cool when Gem said, “I was showing her the presents I got for you, Robin, and Haz, mum. I hid them in my room.”

_What?_

Anne smiled and said, “Oh how sweet. Are they nice?” I nodded, “Yeah, you’re going to love them.” I looked at Gemma who was giving me a smirk. Her back was to Anne and my eyes widened. I was saved by the bell when Harry came down.

“Morning, everyone,” he said, voice still deep from sleep. He had a long sleeve shirt on and his long legs were in his black skinny jeans. We all said good morning to him and he came over to me and asked, “How’d you sleep?” I smiled and said, “Fine, thanks.” My cheeks felt a little warm and I moved to sit down. Harry sat next to me and gave me a warm dimpled smile. If he wanted to keep this thing a secret, he needed to play it down a bit. I smiled back at him and Gemma said, “So what are you both doing this fine Christmas Eve?”

“Oh! We have to call Lou and tell him Happy Birthday,” I said. Harry gave me a smug look, “Who do you think I am? I texted him at midnight, like I have for the past few years.” I gave him an indignant look and pulled out my phone, “Well, alright then, you butt.” I texted Louis a happy birthday text to which he responded, _‘Thanks love! I’ll be expecting your presents when I see you next.’_ I laughed to myself and looked up to see Harry smiling at me, staring fondly. I kicked his shin gently and gave him a look. He looked down and Gemma said, “So? What are you up to?" 

“I was thinking we could go visit a few old sites. Go down memory lane. What do you think about that?” he asked me. I smiled at him and responded, “I’d love that. That sounds like a lot of fun!” Anne set down plates of eggs, sausage, and toast in front of us and I smiled up at her. We all cheered and thanked her for breakfast. She sat down with us and all the questions began.

She and Gemma asked me about my life and my family. Our families have kept in touch over the years but she wanted to know everything about me. I answered every question I could. I attended University and majored in nursing. I would be starting my clinical work at the local hospital in the spring. I told her about my sorority and explained that it was most certainly not like the ones you’d see in the movies. I then asked Gem and Anne about their lives. I felt Harry discreetly hold my hand under the table and I found myself smiling, and squeezed back.

Breakfast ended and Harry said, “Come on, grab your boots and gloves. Get bundled, I don’t want you complaining that you’re cold while we’re out.” I huffed and mumbled, “Rude.”

We climbed the stairs, leaving the two in the kitchen. As soon as we reached the top, out of sight, Harry stepped next to me and stopped me, pinning me against the wall. I gasped and blushed as he looked me in the eye.

“You’re so fucking adorable,” he whispered, getting closer and pressing his lips against mine. He moved his hands to my ribs, keeping me close to him as he moved our mouths together.

“Harry,” I breathed. He kissed me again and I made a small noise, “Harry, your mom…”

He nosed against the side of my head and sighed, “Yeah…okay. But don’t think you’re off the hook, babe.” He pecked my lips one more time and backed away a bit, “Come on.”

I moved to my room, blushing because Harry called me babe for the first time. I smiled, squealing a little in my head. I giggled and grabbed my gloves and my thick sweater. I walked out of the room and found Harry in his. “Ready, slowpoke?”

“Yeah, I can’t find my-ah! Here it is,” he held up his other glove and met me by the door. He bent down, kissed my cheek, and ruffled my hair. “Hey,” I whined, making him chuckle. I followed him down the stairs and we grabbed our coats and our boots. We said goodbye to Anne and Gemma was leaving to meet some friends for coffee.      

We walked out to Harry’s car and I climbed into the passenger seat. He turned on the car and blasted the heat. He pulled out of the driveway and we made our way to our destination.

“So where to first?” I asked, excited.

Harry smiled and said, “First, we should get some tea to warm us up. Then, I’m taking you to our favorite little bakery, and after that it’s a surprise.”

I perked a bit and looked at him, “Ooo, a surprise?”

Harry nodded, “Mhm. You warm yet?”

“I’m getting there,” I mumbled, “I’m more tired than I thought.” I hugged myself to get warm and Harry slipped his hand across the console into mine, squeezing gently.

I grinned and said, in a teasing tone, “You like holding my hand.”

“I do,” he said, caressing my hand with his thumb, “It’s so small.”

“No it’s not,” I pouted, “It’s normal sized. You’ve just got big hands.”

“ _Yeah_ , I do.”

It took me a second to realize what he said and I looked up at him with wide eyes. He was grinning at me, making me blush.

“Tea sounds wonderful right now!” I exclaimed, changing the subject. He cackled loudly and kept my hand in his while he breathed after laughing so hard. I looked out the window at the familiar landscape from my childhood. So much had changed over the years but I recognized every place we passed. I could feel the fond practically seep from my face. Harry squeezed my hand again, bringing me back to earth.

“You okay?” he asked. I nodded, “I’m better than okay. I’m so happy. It’s just…so much has changed since I’ve been here last. It’s a little surreal.”

Harry smiled at me and pulled the car into the café parking lot. “Okay, there’s a drive through but I don’t want anyone alerting the paps or knowing I’m out. I’m gonna climb in the back and hide. Can you order our teas?”

“Yeah, sure, get in the back.” Harry awkwardly climbed over the middle console and fell into the back seat. I laughed and before we reached the window, he sat back up and kissed my cheek, “Hush.” I turned and smiled at the girl at the window. I ordered our teas and paid. Once we were far enough away, I pulled over and Harry climbed back in the front. “Crisis averted,” I said, smiling.

We high fived and Harry drove us to the bakery we used to love as kids. Harry had gotten a job there after I moved away and we hurried inside. It was before opening hours and the air was warm and smelled of fresh baked goods. The employees all saw Harry and exclaimed how happy they were to see him. He hugged them all and turned to me wrapping an arm around the back of my waist. “Do you all remember her?”

Their eyes lit up and they exclaimed, “Oh my word! Is that (Y/N)!?” “Look how much you’ve grown!” “You’re so beautiful! Look at you!” I beamed like the sun and blushed, a bit embarrassed. I thanked them and they gave Harry and I freshly baked blueberry muffins. As we ate, Gail asked, “Are you two a couple?”

I blushed and before I could answer, Harry hugged me from behind and said over my shoulder, “Yeah, we are.” They all awed at us and I looked up at him and kissed his cheek. “Keep it a secret. I don’t want anyone knowing quite yet.” They all agreed to keep the secret. I got too embarrassed to look at them so I turned my head to the side, facing a wide front window. I thought I saw someone across the street under a tree. They were holding their phone like they were taking a picture. I was going to say something but then they walked away and moved their phone like they were trying to find a signal. After talking for a while, we decided to leave. Harry held the door open for me as we said goodbye and we hurried back to the car and got in. We sipped the rest of our tea as Harry began to drive again.

“Can you tell me where we’re going?” I asked. Harry shook his head and said, “Be patient, it’s a surprise.” I huffed, making him chuckle.

We finally reached the surprise destination and I was confused because it was an open field with a large pond, a large bridge made of bricks, and an old barn. Harry parked the car and asked, “You all bundled?” I said yes, “Good. Come on.”

I got out and followed Harry onto the field. He waited for me and took my hand in his. “Harry…Oh my…I know this place.”

In the One Direction film, Harry came out here and talked about how he could relax and be free out here. He also talked about how he had his first kiss out here. “This is where you kissed that girl! Harry why would you bring me here?” I asked, taking my hand away from his. I crossed my arms, feeling insecure.

Harry looked surprised and begged, “(Y/N), wait, let me explain, please.” I looked at him, waiting to hear him out. “Yes, I kissed a girl here. It was my first kiss and it was so…awkward. I was not into it at all… and to be honest, neither was she,” he chuckled a bit. I still wasn’t amused. He took my hand again and continued, pulling me toward a tree, “Ever since I was young, I always imagined bringing the girl I liked here to kiss her under this tree. Don’t laugh at me but…when I kissed that girl, and failed horribly, I...thought of you. It was so weird. Instead of focusing on kissing the girl in front of me, I thought of _you_. I wanted to hear you laugh and see your smile again. I wanted you here with me. I didn’t know it then, but my feelings for you started then and grew over the years. I really want to kiss you, (Y/N), under this tree.”

I shivered but it wasn’t so much from the cold. I looked up at him and said, “Did you imagine this would happen in the winter?”

Harry chuckled and said softly, “I didn’t think this would ever happen.”

I blushed and said quietly, “Okay.”

Harry smiled and said, “Yeah?”

“Mhm.” I felt his hands slide around my jacket. I immediately felt warm as Harry’s face got closer to mine. His lips pressed against mine as he pulled me against him. I clenched my fists close to my chest, not knowing what to do with them.

Harry pulled back and asked, “Are you uncomfortable?”

“No,” I blushed, mortified, “It’s just- I’m just nervous. I’m sorry.”

“Do you want to stop?” He asked.

“No,” I said, sternly. He chuckled and moved forward, capturing my lips with his again.

We kissed under the tree in the dead of winter but I wasn’t cold at all. Harry kept me close and it was one of the most romantic moments of my life. I suddenly felt my back hit the bark of the tree and I made a little noise of surprise.

Harry pulled back and asked, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I’m better than fine,” I pulled him back in by his thick coat and reconnected our lips. I felt him smile against my lips and he made a happy grunt noise, which made my heart flutter and gave me shivers. While we kissed, I felt his tongue slide against my bottom lip and I nervously but gladly opened my mouth for him. He crowded even closer, if that was possible he licked into my mouth, trying to find my tongue. I sighed out a breath through my nose and made a little noise. I felt so alive. I kept thinking over and over, _‘You’re doing it! Holy shit you’re making out with Harry! This is the best fucking snog ever!’_

Granted, I’ve made out with boys before. The occasional snog in a bar at university but they were nothing compared to this kiss. Now I know what they meant by fireworks. You felt hot all over, you felt like you could fly, and you saw stars behind your eyes.

Harry’s kisses were absolute heaven. They were better than any candy, drug, or sweet temptation I could be offered. Harry opened his mouth wider to kiss me deeper when his cell phone started to ring. He didn’t stop kissing me, and moved his hand from my waist to silence it. I opened my eyes but closed them again when he continued to kiss me, not letting up for a second. When his cell phone rang again, I pulled back and breathed, “Harry, you should get that.”

Harry grunted and pecked my lips once more for a few seconds, making me giggle a little. He stepped back a foot and pulled out his phone. He furrowed his eyebrows and responded.  “Harry?” I said when he got another text and he looked up and around us in a circle. He then took my hand and said, “We need to go. Cover your face, I’ll lead you to the car. Don’t show your face until I say it’s okay.”

I nodded, doing as I was told. Harry led me to the car and I almost tripped on the way, but his strong arms held me up and we soon reached the car. I suddenly realized how cold it was outside now that Harry wasn’t holding me close and kissing me anymore. I kept my head low as Harry pulled out of the parking lot and drove off. After a bit, Harry lowly said, “Okay, we should be good.”

I looked up at him and asked, “Paps?” Harry nodded, “Liam texted me. There are pictures streaming online.” He handed me his cellphone of screencaps Liam sent him through texts. They were of us both in the car and in the bakery. You could barely see it was me, thank goodness, but Harry was all over me. Not in a perverse way but he was hugging me from behind and smiling like crazy. I sighed, "Crap. I saw someone with a phone outside the bakery but he made it look like he was looking for a signal."

“It's not your fault, (Y/N). You can’t tell it’s you, but people are going to freak over these photos. Are you okay?” he asked.

I nodded, “Yeah, I’m fine. I wouldn’t care even if they could see me. What about you? Are you okay?”

Harry smiled at me and took my hand, kissing the back of it, “I’m good. Better than that, I’m great. But I want you to be comfortable and happy. (Y/N), now that we’re dating, if we go public with this you’re going to get so much shit. People are going to harass you and judge you and blame you for every wrong thing that happens. I want to tell the world that we’re together but at the same time I just want to hide you from the world and keep you safe. You know the shit the girlfriends get. You don’t deserve that. None of you do. At least James' show won't air until January. And I-“

“Haz, it’s okay. Really, it’s fine,” I said, squeezing his hand, “I’ve wanted to be with you for a really long time. I don’t care what comes my way. I have you. The rest can go jump in a lake!”

Harry gave me a nervous look and pursed his lips, “Thanks, (Y/N). That means the world to me. We’ll be home soon. Are you cold?”

“No, I’ll be okay. I hope your mom’s got the fire going.” We arrived at Harry’s old home to find it empty. Harry’s mom left a note saying she went to run errands. We shrugged off our heavy clothing and boots and went into the living room. Harry crouched down and started the fire while I watched, folding my arms around myself. Once the fire was going, Harry sat back against the front of the couch and looked up at me, smiling, and opened his arms.

I smiled back and sat down in front of him, leaning my back against his chest while Harry circled his arms around me and pulled me into him. I rested my head on his shoulder while he snuggled his cheek against my hair. I sighed content and said, “No matter what happens, Harry, you’ve got me till the end. I’m with you for as long as you’ll have me.”

Harry moved to look at me and asked, “What if you get bored of me?”

I laughed and whispered, “Not gonna happen.”

He smiled at me and pressed his lips to mine in a chaste kiss, “Same here.” 

We snuggled in front of the fire and said, “We should talk about things. Like how we’re gonna go about this.” Harry nodded, “Yeah, we should. But for now, can we just stay like this? You’re so soft and warm.”

I hummed contently and said, “Yeah. I’m fine with that." 

I watched the fire dance in front of me as it warmed us both up. Harry never let up his grip on me and whispered, “I’m not going to ever stop loving you. No matter what.” I smiled and said, “I feel the same.”

I’m happy to say that we’ve both kept that promise, one way or another.


End file.
